Coming back with a name
by Chronos guardian
Summary: Naruto's been given a rare chance to go back and change things. Many wish for it but Naruto's going to have to learn the responsibilities that come with it. Top that with the need for a new identity and you have something complex. A must read.
1. Chapter 1: second chances

Here's a story I hope you all enjoy. Please read and review. Oh and for a pointer this story is straight.

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_Two men  
They started walking  
Started talking bout better days  
One says to the other  
We do it all again  
Seems I knew I would  
And now I found it  
Found I adored it  
I didn't want this  
Somebody help me see  
Now I feel it  
Feel like I've been there  
I didn't need this  
Somebody help me breathe_

_ Nickelback - Breathe  
_

**Prologue: ****Going back with a name**

** T**he Great War has come and gone. In its wake were destroyed lives and homes. The Shinobi world would never be the same again. All over the land lay nothing but battlefields, the earth drunk and swollen with the blood of the guilty and innocents alike. Countless burials were held into the first year; until too many died too quickly and everyone settled with burning their dead. In the midst of the horrid nightmare lay a man. A man who had done everything he could to save his village, a man who took the hatred of many and turned it into charisma, into the strength of a million. This man, whose shoulders once sagged with the weight of the world, this indestructible force now lay dying on the battlefield of his choice. Betrayed by the one he once looked to as a brother.

This man, this great man that now lay here taking his last breath was once known by the name; Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. The love of two parents that he'd never seen in his short life causing him to keep both surnames no matter how odd they sounded placed right behind each other. Now he lay here dying with the full knowledge of all it meant. He was on deaths doors but he wasn't afraid, death was just another journey he needed to take to be with the ones he loved. He stared out into the blue sky above; its very imaged mirrored in his deep blue eyes. His face was handsome, a tragic beauty acquired over time with long silky blonde tresses, highlighted by red streaks and a killer body. Taking another painful breath, he sighed. If only he could see her face once more. To see the smile of their unborn child that he would never get to know. It was all so very sad…and so very painful. Naruto clenched his fists and waited for death. He'd eluded the Shinigami so many times before during his younger days but not today. Today he called for the eternal rest that his body so desperately needed. Closing his sky blue eyes Naruto took his last shuddering breath.

"**Wake up fool, there is much to be done"** growled an all-too-familiar voice.

The blonde's eyes fluttered open, confusion written all over his perfect face. He looked around, expecting to see oblivion or something of the sort. Rather he saw the familiar scenery of his mindscape. Slowly he rose to his feet, all the while wondering what sort of trickery brought him here. The shallow water rippled according to his movement. Naruto felt along the clean golden pipes, glad that he'd cleaned up the way his mind looked. It had been a dump back when he was younger with so much anger and depressing thoughts. Now he could clearly see the blue marble stones he walked on, past the clear shallow water that reached his ankles. He took a left turn; having traveled this route so many times he knew he could never be lost in his own mind. He couldn't understand what he was hearing; Kyuubi had been set free long ago when his true identity had been revealed. His old friend couldn't be here but to make sure he wanted to see it with his own eyes.

"**What took you so long?"** asked his old friend, the large red fox giving a toothy grin in front of the large golden cage.

"Kyuubi…how? I released you after…"

"He's with us. He stands by your side even now"

Weakly Naruto turned his neck, catching a glimpse of two forms taking shape at his back. He turned back to Kyuubi, slightly afraid the fox would disappear after all those years of living without contact from him. No, the proud fox had not disappeared. The guardian spirit still stood there on his paws, his red eyes flickering with amusement. So, he'd felt his unease…Naruto shook his head and turned his wary body so he could face both parties.

He'd expected to see two shinigamis but instead he saw too people that looked completely human. Well the woman did, the man to her side gave off an aura that was not quite human. He grinned at Naruto and the blonde caught a flash of sharp fangs. Who were they? Naruto sighed and focused on his old friend. "Wish you didn't have to see this. You always did say I couldn't change him. Is that why you are here, to tell me I told you so".

Kyuubi shook his furry head, "**You know better than that kit, I just couldn't let you die alone".**

Naruto gave the old spirit a weak smile, "Not really at my best right now…"

"**For once I wish I had been wrong"** said the fox.

"Will you stop moping around, there's still a way to fix this" said the strange man.

"Who are they Kyuubi?"

"**I** **think I've heard that voice a very long time ago. Is that you Alucard?" **mused the fox.

"I'm hurt Kyuubi. To think you can't even remember an old friend that fought through so many wars with you" said the man with a shrug of his shoulders.

"**Yes, I don't think I could ever forget that annoying voice. Welcome back Hellsing, what can I do for you in this dire situation?"**

The man stepped forward, his true height showing as he loomed over everyone. He was tall, too tall if you asked Naruto who was still sensitive about his relatively above-average height. He had been called out for it too many times as a child to just forget such a complex. The man spoke again, his dark voice carrying over the whole room. "Simple, I came to save my descendant"

"Come again?" Naruto was confused.

Kyuubi looked between the two and then to the fine lady that had been silent all this while and gasped. "**You've got to be kidding me. The boy is yours?"**

The strange man's topaz eyes shone with an unearthly light. "Exactly, so glad to see you're still sharp Kyuubi. He has her hair and eyes".

"**Is that true Integra?"** Kyuubi looked over to the silent woman and she nodded. Her long faded blonde hair framing her face, she looked on behind those glasses, her clever blue eyes never losing their confidence. She was staring a Naruto now, almost like she was sizing him up. It was scary.

"There, confirmation now save the boy and we'll talk later my old friend" the man named Alucard's voice changed, taking on a gentle edge that seemed unusual for his character.

"**You sure don't ask for much do you?"** complained Kyuubi with irritated tone but no one could miss the relief that flooded his red eyes. Someone has intervened and now his hands were free to help.

"Kyuubi what is he talking about?" asked Naruto, completely lost from the whole conversation.

"**Ssh, close your eyes. You'll see something good when you wake"** cooed the fox as his tails curled around Naruto, cradling him like a child even though he was now a man.

Naruto shrugged, his eyes drooping as sleep suddenly came to him. "Kay", this was fine, he was going to die anyway, why not die in the warmth of an old friend. He laid himself to rest by Kyuubi's feet, allowing the fox's warmth to warm his numb body and heart. It had been so long since he had felt so safe. The 25 year old man closed his eyes.

"**Well better get started"** said the fox as he transformed into a tall man with long crimson hair and blazing red eyes. He wore a simple white yukata, his nine red tails still keeping Naruto warm as he began to form seals. His whole body began to glow as he called on all the elements he controlled, weaving them like a thread to hold his spell. Slowly with great focus he started to unravel the threads of time, one action at a time. The world began to shatter around them. The Hellsings watched it fall with blank faces. No one could tell if this was the right choice now. The world Naruto created from here could be worse than this but somehow they couldn't help but know it would be better. The boy was a savior after all.

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NHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHN _**Scene Skip**_ NHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNH

Naruto didn't know much about death but he did know you weren't supposed to wake up and see your home village. Looking around he noticed he was somewhere deep in the forest of Konoha village. But that couldn't be, he'd been there when Akatsuki burned this very forest to the ground to get to the village. Looking around he realized he'd never seen the leaves of the tree look so healthy, their trunks so strong and the grass so green. Without his permission or knowledge tears slipped from his eyes. This was his home in its former beauty, before it was tainted by greed and ambition. Walking over to one of the trees, Naruto leaned his forehead on its bark, feeling its life-force steadily growing stronger. This forest was alive, untouched and safe from human hands. Naruto cried even harder now, sliding down to his knees and pounded his fists against the earth. Why did things have to turn out this way? Why did he have to lose so much in the process of change? Everyone just wanted a future for themselves and those they loved, so why? Why did it always have to result in war? Couldn't humans learned to solve their problems through understanding and not bloodshed.

Naruto cried, he really did and when his tears were spent he sat down with his long legs stretched out. He leaned the back against the tree's trunk. So what was this? A cruel memory of the things he'd lost and would never get back? Naruto gave a dry laugh, he probably deserved this. He'd given his own shared of the bloodshed. He killed so many men for the sake of his village, men with families like he had, men with brothers and sisters. What a shame that all those deaths had been in vain. No one had won the true war. No understanding had been breached and soon enough when Akatsuki rebuilt everything to their liking someone would rise up against them and start another rebellion. The legacy of war would never end…all in vain. Naruto sighed and looked up towards the innocent sky.

"**You calm now Kit"** Naruto just stared at the man who stood several feet away from him, leaning on another tree. He didn't move a muscle but stare blankly at his old friend and life companion.

Kyuubi returned his stare and sighed, he hadn't meant to cause his kit so much pain. He wished there had been a better way to do this but there never was an easy way was there. "**Lets talk for a bit Kit"**

"Kyuubi you'd better have a good explanation for this torture. I know you have been cruel about some things but never this cruel. What gives?"

"**I do have an explanation, we all do"** said Kyuubi, his red eyes shining with untold wisdom. How much destruction he'd seen in his hundreds of years of living and every time someone had some reason to justify themselves. After a while, if you lived long enough to look back at it you'd see how foolish the reasons were. "**Kit there are some people I want you to meet properly".**

As if on queue the couple that he'd seen earlier reappeared but there was something about their form that told him their real bodies were not there. They had that faint glow that ghosts had. The slender woman walked over to him, her silver like hair blowing in the wind. She wore a Victorian styled cream dress that bellowed around her commanding form. She was an elegant lady; Naruto had to give her that. She knelt beside him, wanting to reach out but stopping half way.

"My name is Integra Hellsing; I am a very distant relative from your father's side. Your several greats, grandmother to be exact" she said.

Naruto's eyes widened, after all this time he had someone he could really call family, someone who held the same blood in their veins. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a deep breath of air. This was all he'd ever wanted but why now when he was dead or in some horrid limbo. He looked towards the odd man behind her. Noting the man had long spiky black hair hidden beneath an obnoxiously large red hat, a pair of orange glasses of his own that hid those unnatural eyes of his. His large red overcoat flapped in the wind, exposing the tailored charcoal suit underneath. He seemed to hold the same type of aura Kyuubi did, one of power and timeless years gathered together.

"Who is he?" Naruto motioned his head towards the odd man.

"That my dear boy is your great grandfather, my husband and pet" she added with a wistful grin on her face. The man behind her seemed to give off a maniacal laugh.

"So I'm a pet now am I? Not bad I guess with just how good you take care of me" he retorted but the implications where there and they were enough to make Integra blush. Something she didn't seem comfortable doing. She turned her attention back to Naruto again, clearing her throat to get everyone else mind to focus once more.

"Listen Naruto, I'm not one to get really affectionate. I know you've been through a lot and it's kind of selfish of me to ask this of you but if I don't the world will become a living hell. You are the only living Hellsing left"

"How come?" Naruto asked, still not sure what she was getting at but not going to be rude to such a lady.

"Well you see life as a Hellsing isn't easy, it's not just a name to carry. Duties come with it that sometimes aren't safe. I have lost many children to the great battle and your father's line, the one you now carry is all that is left" she explained with a pained look in her eyes even though she'd claimed not to do the whole emotional thing.

Naruto gave both of them a moment to mourn those they've lost or in his case people he'd never been given the chance to get to see. Integra recovered soon enough and began her speech once again. "You are our heir, our last hope. You are the last to hold the name of Hellsing, a noble family that dates back to decades before the shinobi villages even came to being".

"Whoa, I never knew my father's clan held such deep roots. I mean I know my dad Minato Namikaze and my mom Kushina Uzumaki's clan weren't too well known to the ninjas of today but for them to have such deep ties…hm never thought of it like that. Do you know anything about the Uzumaki clan and why didn't my dad carry the name of Hellsing instead of Namikaze?" asked Naruto, completely baffled.

Integra sigh, "We don't have time for all these questions but I'll try to answer them as best I can. Your Father didn't take our name because by his generation the information about the true family had been abandoned, hidden behind the tides of time. You are one of the first to see me and Alucard in a long time. We have never really needed to intervene like we did in your case. The darkness has never gathered so greatly as it does in your generation. I am sorry but you'll have to take on the family business of getting rid of unlawful vampire and other corrupt supernatural beings. As for the Uzumaki clan no I do not know much about it but I know some who might".

Naruto took another deep breath, this was insane. He couldn't do any of this, first off he was dead and as far as he knew you couldn't force a dead man to work. As if reading his mind Alucard spoke, startling everyone since they were so used to his silence. "You're not dead kid, if that's what you're thinking. I had Kyuubi reverse time to give you the second chance you needed to save this world"

Naruto shivered, Alucard's voice was sinister, like a tamed animal just waiting to be unleashed upon the world again. Kyuubi used to sound like that once but he'd learned to see past that. "Kyuubi is that true…is that even possible?"

The great spirit bristled, "**who do you think I am! Of course it's possible though I don't suggest you die a second time. I might not be able to help you there".**

Naruto looked over his body, surprised and taking it all in for the first time. He was really alive; he could really get the chance to do it all over again. Tears of joy streamed down his cheeks, he'd never been one to hold his tears.

"**let me tell you how this works. First thing's first, don't get used to that body you're nothing going to get to keep it. I can reverse time but I can't destroy your existence. Somewhere in the village of Konoha there is an nine year old Naruto. There can not be two people with the same existence within one world. It would twist the very laws that hold this world and create a paradox. Now to stick with the rules I will have to give you an entirely different existence, a different body and name. You will keep your memories but you can not steal Naruto of the present's identity"** explained Kyuubi with a pained look.

Naruto didn't understand why he looked so sad. He was getting a chance to do it all again, to fix the things that went wrong, to save the ones he loved and then it hit him. "I won't be able to be with Hinata anymore…will I?"

Everyone within the group averted their eyes from the blonde. His pain shining so raw in his eyes, they all knew that pain and they knew just how much it hurt him to say those words. Integra took the reins of the situation. She was not one to be a sadist to her own flesh and blood. "Listen Naruto, if you try to get with her in your new body you destroy her future of ever being with your other self. With the dangers that you are under taking would you really want to rob her of such peace, such safety and care?"

A low blow but Naruto understood. He wasn't the naïve, grinning fool Hinata had fallen in love with anymore. If he were to go to her now as he was she would only fear him. Whatever task a Hellsing was to perform, obviously it wasn't easy and if he were to build a relationship with Hinata he would only be hurting them both. He never wanted to be in a world without her, he never wanted to see her die again so maybe this was for the best. He could protect both his past self and her; allow them to gain the happiness he could not from a distance. It was a cold pill to swallow but he knew it was for the best. He was after all an extra piece in the puzzle that made up this world, he could not ask for so much.

"…Fine, I will take this second chance. If it will save her the pain, if it will save them all then yes. I've heard celibacy isn't such a bad thing" he choked out the words, his bangs covering his eyes so they wouldn't betray him.

Kyuubi watched his kit suffer in such pain and sighed. This was never what he'd intended, but suddenly a thought hit him. Looking towards his kit he couldn't help but feel he would bend the rules for him once more. The situation deserved such a blessing anyway.

"So Kyuubi where's this new body I'm supposed to be getting?" asked Naruto, stilling keeping his head down.

Integra stood and walked over to Alucard who wrapped his arm around her. "If you would follow us Naruto".

The blonde stood, his legs felt like lead, weighed down by his emotions but he knew he had to move. For those he loved he had to swallow this pill, bitter-after-taste and all. Following the the ghostly couple he couldn't help but wonder.

"Are you guys dead too?"

They paused and looked back at him. Alucard shook his head, "No, Naruto we're not. Right now we're using one of my abilities to project our spirits here to guide you. We fight an entirely different battle in another realm and can not cross over yet. Sorry but we can not physically meet you now".

Naruto nodded, at least relieved that the two were still alive and he would have to meet them some time in the future. They continued, walking through the forest, going deeper until they came across a large lake. Its water was pure, crystal clear and fresh. Naruto was so tempted to run his hands through the water to feel its life-force like he had the tree but he restrained himself. He would have time for that later; maybe even build himself a house out here where the peace could relieve his pains.

"**Kit look at the water, over there"** said Kyuubi, pointing towards the center of the large lake.

Naruto did as instructed; he noticed there was something there, something he'd missed upon earlier inspection. Moving closer to the water's edge he tried to get a better look, adding a bit of chakra to his eyes. He reeled back, gasping and then turned to Kyuubi. His crystal blue eyes were wide and his mouth remained open. It took a while and the others waited, smirks on their faces as they inwardly laughed at his expense. Finally after a long time and breaths Naruto could speak again.

"Can someone tell me again why the body in the lake is that of a little girl's!"

Alucard and Integra looked at one another, shrugged and left Kyuubi to face the heat. Kyuubi began sweating bullets; Naruto could do crazy things when he got angry or overly confused. One of the reasons he was never there with the blonde when he was creating new seals. Building up as much courage as he could Kyuubi went on to explain.

"**You need an entirely different existence from your past self Naruto. I thought if it was an entirely different gender everything would be fine you know. You had the whole Naruko thing worked out when you were a kid and I thought why not just make it work. I mean if you take this body I created you can find love with a man, because I know you would never love any woman like you loved Hinata. If you think it's too weird or if you're not sure you can get the whole female affair down I can change your memories to think you've always been a girl".**

Naruto just stared at Kyuubi, really stared at him. "What the hell!"

"Come on you're getting the best deal I've ever heard a demon give" said Alucard, cleaning his nails with a bored expression. Integra gave him a glare before trying to soothe things out with Naruto. "Listen Naruto do not think about it like that. Think of it as you being reborn again, tell me if you didn't have your past life's memories right now would you be complaining?"

Naruto stood there thinking for a while and then conceded, shaking his head negative. Integra grinned, she loved winning arguments. "I suggest you just go with it and take this as a new life, besides you'll be too busy saving the world to really care about love and all that. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a boy when it comes to kicking ass now does it?"

To this he shook his head no, feeling very awkward and sheepish.

Kyuubi grinned, "**Just for you mental health once you enter your new body I'll reconfigure your brain to make it easier for you to acknowledge you are a girl. You will think like a girl, and experience everything as one. I know you're straight and we're not really breaking any rules now are we?"**

Naruto looked at him dubiously, "I'll just skip out on the love thing".

Kyuubi shrugged, "**Whatever you want kit. I know that you usually take the hard way for most things but just this once take the easy way out. Take the body".**

Naruto sighed, took a deep breath and walked onto the water making sure to place chakra on the soles of his feet. The water rippled but did not swallow him as it should, beat by Shinobi training. Naruto walked out towards the middle of the lake where the body lay. She was floating on the water face up, giving him a good look at the body he'd have to inhabit from now on. The girl looked to be about nine, the same age as his past self. She had long blonde hair too but it was more like Integra's, faded to the point of looking silver. Her eyes were closed so he didn't know what color they would be when he awoke. She was petite as most girls her age, too young to really be showing any signs of anything. She wore a small white dress that floated along with her. Kneeling upon the water he gently took her into his arms. The body was cold, waiting for a soul…just an empty shell. Sighing, he leaned down and placed a small kiss on her forehead like a father would his child before bed. Kyuubi hadn't told him anything but instinctively he knew this was what he needed to do to change bodies. Concentrating, he reached out to the vessel, seeking acceptance from this new body. He didn't have to wait long, slowly he felt himself being absorbed, taken in. (from here on out I'll be referring to Naruto as a she so please try not to get confused).

It felt weird, it was pitch-black at first and Naruto couldn't feel anything but slowly she began to gain back her senses. First came her hearing, much stronger than she remembered when she'd died, so strong she could hear the water ripple. Then her sense of smell came and once again it was strong. She could perceive Kyuubi's scent across the lake; strong, muscling and with the hint of roses. Lol, really the king of the bijou having a secret thing for roses, she couldn't wait to call Kyuubi out on that. Concentrating now she felt her sense of touch come back and instantly she grimaced. She was soaked through and though the water was refreshing it was cold. Finally she focused on peeling open her eyelids and she could see. The blue sky had turned to the dark blue known as night. She looked towards the aluminous moon and smiled, she'd always loved the moon. Slowly, with great effort she tried to gain control of her limbs. Her chakra still held her over the water for now and that was a good thing but like all good things with her she could feel her chakra faltering. The vessel's chakra channels probably weren't ready for the strain. With a growl she forced her limbs to crawl towards the lake's edge. It was a slow and annoying crawl but she progressed and right when she thought she was almost there her chakra gave way and she sank. Instantly her muscles clenched down, already strained from the crawl and too weak to fight the deep, heavy water. With the last bit of her strength she tried to reach out for help but she could already feel herself sinking. What a shitty way to die a second time…

Suddenly someone yanked her arm, pulling her back up with force. Naruto broke the water gasping for breath and hacking up her lungs. Kyuubi pulled her to his side, a bit angry with himself for not seeing this possible situation when he'd created the body. He would never knowingly put his kit in such danger. Cradling the little girl in his arms Kyuubi wadded towards the riverbank. There Alucard and Integra waited patiently for them though there was a strained look on their faces. Obviously they had been worried but unable to do anything with their ghostly bodies.

"It's done then, that is her body now" said Integra, a bit amazed by Kyuubi's power. She looked at the little girl cradled in his arms, feeling like she could very well be her daughter. She could tell Alucard approved by that wide grin on his face, much like the one he had when she'd gone through her first pregnancy. Silently she reached out for his hand and he gave it to her without hesitation. Their bond was deeper than most knew.

Kyuubi watched then but said nothing, walking closer to the pair before he spoke. "I think she fainted from the stress, I'll take her to the cottage and we'll wait until she wakes to tell her the rest".

The two agreed and faded into the night. Naruto wouldn't wake up for another three days.

* * *

NINININININININININININI _**Scene Skip**_

_Dream, Naruto age 20, konoha village._

_It was a joyous day. Finally they would be tying the knot. Naruto grinned like a maniac as he shuffled into his traditional kimono. Today was the day; he brushed off imaginary dust from his kimono, whistling and nervous. This was a big day, one he'd counted down to everyday since they'd promised each other forever. _

"_Naruto!" Sakura bustled in, her steps light and happy for her best friend. She looked remarkable in her lavender kimono, decorated with blue sakura petals. She clattered around him, making sure he looked his best for the best day of his life. Deciding they both looked dashing she flipped her long pink side bangs and posed. "Well? Ready to knock 'em dead?"_

_Naruto nodded, straighten up and reined in the butterflies in his stomach. He would not say his vows blushing to the one woman he loved. The two exited the room and went into the main temple. Friends slowly joined in on the way. Kiba for once did not look rough and actually looked like he'd spent time really fixing his shaggy hair, and ironing out his kimono. Lee walked by Sakura, his wife and Naruto couldn't help but wonder would he and Hinata's marriage last like theirs. He looked to his right where Gaara stood, his brother at arms and true best friend. He'd come a long way from psychotic killer to a strong man with a heart of gold. No one could say Gaara was truly cold; the man was so much like him now. He had important people to cherish and that made all the difference. His usually neutral light-green eyes were so warm today, joy for Naruto's big day shining through. His sister Temari sat with her husband Shikamaru who was trying his best to hide his grin but it was useless. Everyone knew just how much he approved of this wedding, having been the one who helped Naruto and Hinata get together with Sakura. _

_There were a lot of people here to witness this day. To witness the marriage of the great Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze to the shy flower Hinata Hyuga. The daimyo and his wife sat at the front, Tora the stupid cat was actually obedient. Kakashi, Kurenai, Iruka, Anko, Ibiki, and Gai sat right behind them. Naruto couldn't help but feel a bit sad for Kurenai. She must be thinking of the possibilities of her marrying Asuma if he'd lived. She held onto her baby girl who she named, Ai in respect of her being the only symbol of love she and Asuma had shared. Ino sat with Chouji leaning on his chubby stomach as she tried to wipe away her happy tears with a handkerchief. So many people were here, so many people he cared about and loved, all here to celebrate this great day with him and put away their worries for this one minute. Naruto didn't think he could ever thank them for this favor, for this act of friendship. He looked up to the dais where Hinata stood. His breath caught in his throat. _

_She looked absolutely beautiful in her white kimono, her hair styled by many golden butterfly ornaments and place in an elegant up-do. She was blushing, like always and it only made her look more desirable. Neji stood at her side, stern and tall in his traditional Hyuga attire. Naruto could still remember the beating he got when he proposed to Hinata without telling Neji first. The dude had taken it personal but Naruto wouldn't have had it any other way. It let him know the deep hatred between Neji and Hinata was finally over. Neji cared for her now, so much he would willingly give an arm for her safety. He gave Naruto a grin now, a happy twinkle in his usually cold eyes. _

_Naruto walked over to Hinata's side, taking her hand into his and giving it a kiss. Hinata's face turned even redder but she smiled and it was brilliant. Naruto could see how happy she was about this and that was all he needed to know. He looked to Tsunade and nodded. The Godaime, the woman he looked up to as a grandmother gave a smile of her own as she began the ceremony. She was speaking, that Naruto knew but he just couldn't comprehend her words as he looked into Hinata's eyes. All understanding was lost in those lavender pools, filled with so much love. He did hear the part about their vows and took charge to speak of just how wonderful he felt. _

"_Hinata-chan I'm so glad to be taking you as my wife today. When no one noticed me, you were always there cheering me on from the shadows. Back then I didn't know where the strength came from that allowed me to win the battles that I did but now I do. Your support made me what I am and gave meaning to the things I did. Hinata-chan if you would allow it I would like to have you as my wife, cheering me on but this time by my side where I can see you and all the wonders you bring to my life". _

_Hinata began to tear up but she didn't cry, not today when she was supposed to be all smiles. She smiled more and tightened her grip on his hand, this hand that was always willing to save her from anything. Taking a deep breath to settle her overwhelming emotions she began her vow. How many nights had she stayed up trying to get it just right, to show just how much she loved this man? To tell him just how much he meant to her and to put to words all her love. _

"_Naruto-kun I'm glad you think so much of me, I can't help but say I feel the same way as you. I haven't always had the best experiences but you made life so much better whether it was your words or just your smile. I got through many of the things I did because of my love for you and that has never changed. I continue to love you and grow fond of you with each day and I'm glad to be your most important person" she said, tears streaming down her cheek despite her efforts. _

_Naruto gave her a tender smile, reaching over and wiping away her tears. She was beautiful when she cried but she was even more gorgeous when she smiled. Tsunade and pretty much everyone in the shrine had either happy tears streaming down their faces or happy smiles splitting them. Tsunade asked if anyone opposed the marriage as the procedure demanded but she knew deep down, no one dared to shatter such a happy day. As it was nothing moved, the silence was almost deafening. Grinning she held up the newly wed's joined hands and tied a red string over it. _

"_By the power vested in me I proclaim you husband and wife. May the fire of Konoha continue to burn in your hearts and may this love be protected by those flames!"_

_To this everyone cheered, some threw up the sakura petals that Ino had gathered in baskets for the occasion. Naruto hugged Tsunade, thanking her for the wonderful ceremony and leading Hinata down the dais. She gave everyone a shy smile and the joy in her eyes was hard to miss. Naruto lead her to friends and family proudly, happy to call such a jewel his own. Hinata's younger sister Hanabi walked up to them; for once she allowed a smile to form on her mature face._

"_I'm so happy for you onee-chan" she reached up and gave Hinata a hug by her waist. Hinata hugged her back furiously, so glad to have the sisterly moment she'd longed for all her life. She looked over at her husband, the man who had changed everything for her and brought her scattered family to the light as a whole. She looked up to see her father, Hiashi standing with an approving light in his eyes and an attempted smile forming on his lips that was so out of practice. He went over to her, hugged her and then hugged Naruto too, shocking them both at the informality he'd been thought not to be capable of. The two looked at each other, sharing knowing smiles and knowing this was only the beginning of their happiness together. _

_(End of dream)_

_

* * *

NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS _Scene Skip 

Naruto woke up, her eyes snapping open as tears ran down her cheeks. That had been the memory of her marriage day. Hinata had looked so beautiful then. Kyuubi was right even though she was a girl now she still loved Hinata as an individual. Love like their's does not die so easily but Naruto understood it was changing now. She couldn't express her love as she used to and she'd have to give her past self a chance to love Hinata for himself. Covering her face with her hand Naruto sighed, why did things always have to be so difficult?

"**Ah, you're awake"**

Naruto turned her head to the side, Kyuubi stood with his back against the wall, holding a glass of water. Slowly he walked over to Naruto's bedside and helped her up so she didn't spill the water. Naruto was grateful, her throat felt parched and the water was a blessing. When she'd emptied the glass she gave it back to Kyuubi, looking expectantly to the Guardian spirit once called demon.

Kyuubi saw the look, understood it was time for more explanations. He snapped his fingers and the ghost like figures of Integra and Alucard came through the wall, scaring Naruto half-to-death. Clenching her hand over her flat chest Naruto glared at the two.

"You could have warned me" she said, noting her voice sounded like the clanging of bells, musical and soothing.

"Sorry about that sleeping beauty but it was the fastest way to get this started" said Alucard though he looked anything but sorry. Integra shook her head in disapproval but said nothing; she too felt she had done nothing wrong.

"**Kit I think it's about time I explained more about your new body"** said Kyuubi, taking a seat on one of the two wooden chairs in the room. Alucard and Integra didn't even bother since they would just slip through anyway. They just floated there and waited for the conversation to start.

"**Listen Kit there are certain things about this new body that you're going to need to understand. First thing, that body was made of Alucard, Integra and my blood and essence. In a sense you are now our biological child. There's something you also need to know about your great grandfather. Alucard is a vampire, one of the oldest known to man and Integra is his blood companion. Integra is human but due to being Alucard's blood companion she is stronger than most humans and has higher senses"**

"W-what…Oh I need a break" said Naruto, leaning heavily on the headboard. She needed time to process that. Before all this she hadn't even known vampires really existed, sure there were a thousand romance books about them but for them to be actually real. It was amazing to actually know such a myth was real and also scary. How many vampires had he ever met in life? She gave an absent nod for Kyuubi to continue with the bombshells.

Kyuubi seemed to be pleased about well she was taking this. "**Now on to other things, your bodies whether it's your old one or this new one you've always had stronger senses. You've always had sharper canines than most except maybe Kiba".**

"Y-yeah…you don't mean…"

"**Yes Kit, you were the first in your family to show the signs of Alucard's blood in a long time even as your old self. Now with this body I've created, it was necessary that I awaken your true blood as Alucard's descendant. With my blood in the mix your senses are even ten times better than before. You'll need it to fight your own kind or greater demons"** explained Kyuubi; about to drink from the same glass Naruto had used only to find out there was no water in it. With an annoyed flick of his wrist, water appeared within the glass and he drank. Naruto couldn't help but grin at that, so close to laughing at the scene of a thousand year old spirit using magic out of annoyance.

Kyuubi continued like nothing had happened, "**The Hellsing line since Integra and Alucard's marriage have always been dhampirs. Because Alucard's blood is so strong they might as well have been pure bloods. You may turn out to be the most interesting case as of yet".**

Naruto sighed, this was all she needed. Could life get more complicated than this?

"It can" said Alucard as if reading her mind.

Naruto gaped, could he do that? Was that some secret vampire ability no one told her about?

"No, I can just see what you're thinking by the frustrated facial expressions. I've had years of practice" replied Alucard, his actions contradicting his words. Clearly he could read minds. Naruto turned to Kyuubi, what else would he have to tell her today?

"We've asked Kyuubi to destroy most of the weakness of our kind in your body. Technically with his blood in your systems you're a half demon, a hanyou and that evens out the weakness of being a dhampir. Even though you are a strong dhampir, you are young, just newly coming into your power. With Kyuubi's blood helping your new body the sunlight won't bother you as much though I suggest you take a liking to shades. With your heighten senses it would be ten times as bright" warned Integra with a frown on her pretty face.

Naruto frowned herself; they were changing so many things in her new life way too quickly. Kyuubi reached out and took her small hands into his warm, larger ones.

"**Don't worry kit, everything will be fine. Don't look so sad, there are a lot of pros to this too. With your new abilities you can get one up on Orochimaru who despite all his jutsus is still just another human. Heck you don't even have to go through your klutz state this time around. Once you get used to your new body you'll have a natural sense of balance and grace, stronger strength without the need of chakra and greater speed".**

Alucard nodded, "One of my servants and fledglings will be coming to this world to help you get used to your new body. She'll bring you up to be worthy of the name Hellsing not to mention help you out with understanding the mechanics of the female body".

Naruto sighed, "That's great and all but don't I have to worry about crosses, holy water, silver bullets and all that other stuff?"

To this Alucard laughed loudly in an almost barking manner. "Kid real Vamps don't care about that stuff. Silver is for Werewolves by the way. The whole cross thing started after some new fledglings thought it would be funny to goad the hopes of humans on ways to destroy us. As for the Garlic stuff with our extra sense of smell would you want to be anywhere close to that stuff?"

Naruto shook her head negative; that made so much sense.

"Oh yeah and we want you to carry on the family name but for the love of all that is good in the world, which isn't much don't do it while you've still got enemies".

Naruto stared at Integra, just stared and pretended not to have heard that part of the discussion. Turning back to Kyuubi who had been silent all this while she gave a wary grin. "Anything else I need to know?"

"**Actually— you don't want to be hearing any of this really?" **he paused.

"No-no I don't. I've still got a whole lot to get used to and a whole lot to plan so for now just give me some space. I'll learn what my body can or can not take the old fashion way" she said, running her small hands through her long locks of hair.

Kyuubi nodded and hugged her, giving her his support the only way he knew how. Naruto accepted the warm hug, wondering how some times she could picture Kyuubi actually being her father. She'd met her real father once, in the seal when she'd used too much of Kyuubi's power. It had been a failsafe so she wouldn't be lost in the power. He had seemed like a nice guy, handsome and understanding just like she'd always dreamed. Sighing she retreated from the hug and made to get out of bed. She might as well take a shower, having slept in for three days she was starting to stink.

Something unexpected happened though…she fell. It was like her legs had gone to sleep on her completely. She could barely feel them. She looked up to Kyuubi with panic swirling in those light blue eyes. "What's going on Kyuubi!"

Kyuubi took the frightened child into his arms, holding her close so that she could calm down. "**It's okay it's just the vessel hasn't fully bonded with your soul yet and you're going to have to break in this new body. Think of yourself as a baby, you're going to have to learn to walk all over again. To make this body understand the commands you give it. It's why I brought you back to when you were nine, so that you can have some years to get ready before the academy comes into play".**

Naruto nodded absentmindedly, she still couldn't bring herself to believe what just happened or what she was hearing. "So for now I'm crippled?"

Kyuubi sighed but nodded his head yes, **"If you work hard enough you can begin to walk within three months".**

"Will everything be fine like this?" asked Naruto, truly scared now of all that was happening. It was so overwhelming, so much so the poor nine year old fainted in Kyuubi's arms. The great demon looked down at the little child and sighed. Things wouldn't be easy for her and there would be many more challenges ahead that would scare any grown man. Yet he knew somehow Naruto would be able to face them all.

* * *

Okay that's it for the first chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Review and the story continues.


	2. Chapter 2: takes some getting used to

_if you are lost in your way  
deep in an awesome story  
don't be in doubt and stray  
cling to your lonesome folly_

_now you're too close to the pain  
let all the rain go further  
come back and kiss me in vain_

_**A stray Child by Yuki Kajiura**_

**

* * *

Chapter one: ****Who am I?**

Kyuubi had taken the liberty of bathing Naruto while she was asleep to avoid an awkward situation with his new daughter. When Naruto woke up again she seemed more subdued. She looked herself over, noting she'd been dressed in a cute frilly orange nightgown. This brought a small smile to her lips, Kyuubi was trying for her. Looking up with more determination she decided she'd try for him too. It must have been so hard for the spirit to have reversed time for her and create this body for her. Looking to the side of her bed she noticed a wheelchair had been supplied for her use. She struggled at first but eventually she got herself into the seat. She had to give it to the disable; they were very strong people to go through this everyday.

Now that she had time she looked around the medium sized room she'd be given. The color scheme went along the lines of red to an almost gold like orange. It felt warm, queenly, and nice. Naruto wheeled herself to the window at the west end of the room. Pulling back the white curtains she caught a view of the forest. So they were somewhere out of the actual village, that was good. She didn't want anyone stumbling on her while she was still recuperating. Wheeling herself back she turned and headed for the dresser by her bed. Kyuubi had left a note for when she woke up.

_Hey Kit you awake, good. I know things are hard now but don't worry they'll get better with time. Come meet us in the living room for breakfast._

_-The great Kyuubi_

Naruto laughed at this, Kyuubi could be so full of himself at times. Carefully she pulled back the wooden slide door and wheeled herself into the living room. The cottage was warm and cozy, not too large that the warmth leaked out but not too small that you felt caged. A nice place to live in if you asked her, Kyuubi had good taste.

"**Ah kit you're up, come join us"** said Kyuubi waving his hand towards the table.

Naruto smiled and wheeled herself over, taking a sweep at who were present. Alucard and Integra were still there, they waved at her. Naruto nodded at them, said her grace and then took a bite of the French toast. Kyuubi watched her eat with joy, she was his daughter now. The child he'd always wanted and almost had if that bastard hadn't…no, none of that. Kyuubi shook off his negative thoughts.

"**So how are you coping?"**

"As good as I'll ever be" she said in-between bites, noting that if she bit too hard she'd hurt her bottom lip with her fangs. Moving onto the eggs she reached out with her chopsticks only to stop and look at her hands. She'd somehow expected it; really it wasn't the first time. Whenever she went overboard with Kyuubi's power her fingernails turned into claws. Seeing her nails so long and sharp without Kyuubi's influence was astonishing though.

"Don't try to clip them, they'll just grow back" said Alucard as he stared off into space. Naruto felt guilty about them being able to eat in front of the two who obviously couldn't. Kyuubi didn't seem to mind though and dug into the food, still managing to look graceful while doing it. Naruto's eyes narrowed, she'd have to learn that. Girl's weren't supposed to eat like messy animals…nobody was meant to eat like that.

"So what's today's agenda?" she asked as she munched on her food. Cute and content expressions appeared on her baby face that pleased Kyuubi tousan.

"We need to give you a name" said integra, messing with her dress and trying to sooth it to perfection.

Naruto stopped eating, she hadn't thought of that. They would need a new name for her now wouldn't they? The whole idea of getting a new body was so she didn't set off a paradox with her past self. If she still bore the same name as her past self that kind of ruined all their hard work. It kind of bothered her though, she was letting go of the name her parents had given her. She was really erasing herself from this world…

"It's a name Naruto; you can make your new one just as important as your old one with your actions. Besides Naruto is a boy's name and you need one for a girl now. Naruko won't do because for one thing it's too close to the original. Two the Naruto of this time will still be naming his female form that" said Alucard with a careless shrug. He had many names to which he answered to anyway.

"Hmm how about Yuuki?" asked Naruto.

"**I approve though it could still be used for a boy"** said Kyuubi, done with his breakfast.

Alucard and Integra looked to one another and shrugged. All the names they'd offer where from a generation and society long gone.

"Yuuki Hellsing it is" said Alucard with a boyish gusto.

Yuuki grinned, she could get used to her new great grandpa. She noticed Integra had a thoughtful expression. "What is it Integra-san?"

"If you would I would like you to have a middle name. It's an old costume from our time and I'm just sentimental enough to request you allow it to be Helena" said the woman, her eyes showing her true age for once.

Yuuki nodded, "That's okay Integra-san. I like the name. Yuuki Helena Hellsing, nice".

"So what else are we doing today?" asked Alucard, growing bored.

"**Now that we're done eating and naming lets move to the parlor where Yuuki can gain some control of her legs"** said Kyuubi, getting behind Yuuki and wheeling her away despite her protests.

He stopped at the center of the room and then moved back. **"Yuuki, I want you to try to feel your legs".**

Yuuki tried and there was a faint tingle but nothing forthcoming. She tried again but this time she concentrated more, trying to feel her blood flow through her veins and ride the current to her legs. It didn't seem to work at first but then she saw her toes curl. She giggled, feeling exalted by her success. Kyuubi smiled at this too, she was making progress.

"**Good, now keep that up until you can feel your legs entirely without concentrating on them"** Kyuubi took a seat on the couch, knowing this exercise would take time. Yuuki growled at his nonchalant attitude but followed his orders. It took three hours but finally she could feel her legs, could see that they weren't dead and would be ready to walk soon. Kyuubi nodded to this.

"**Take a break from that now, next I'll have you try to crawl. For now though I want you to try to open your chakra channels. After your fall in the lake they shut down, you need to unseal them"** said Kyuubi.

Yuuki grimaced, "Sounds painful".

"**That's cuz it will be if you try to rush it. Open one pathway at a time, let your vessel get used to your power little by little"** warned Kyuubi, grabbing a magazine as he waited.

Yuuki shook her head and got ready; she concentrated on her arm first. Slowly she tried to push Chakra into it and got a sharp sting. So unexpected, she gasped outwardly. Kyuubi tsked.

"**I told you don't rush it. Let it flow"**

Yuuki nodded; beads of sweat gathering at her brows now as she tried again. This time she tried to coax her chakra channels open, her shoulder first then her upper arm, lower arm and then her fingers. It was like allowing a vast river to flow through and knowing when to put up the damn until it had leveled out. For another two hours she spent her time gently opening her chakra pathways. This way was new to her, before she'd just bust them open like she had in the match against Neji. With this young body though she understood the need for care, she didn't want to put her body through such shock. It wasn't trained for that yet.

Kyuubi clapped his hands, **"That's good. I think you deserve a break now. What do you think?"**

Alucard and Integra nodded, Yuuki couldn't be more pleased. She leaned back into her wheelchair, so thoroughly exhausted. She'd hate to think of her chakra lessons, they'd be a nightmare. Kyuubi wiped at her forehead with a handkerchief before wheeling her out to the garden. The air was fresh outside, so cool with the faint scent of rain on the way. Yuuki spread out her arms, this wasn't all so bad. In the final years of her past life she couldn't enjoy such simple things. Reaching out she touched the roses, careful of the thorns and felt for its life-force. It was there, strong and steady. Yuuki looked around, noting there were many different kinds of flowers and some of them she couldn't even identify. Looking back at her caretaker she asked.

"Did you plant this garden Kyuubi?"

Kyuubi looked over to her, his red eyes holding such calm emotions that had been so rare in those days. This had been a great idea for all of them. The demon nodded and reached over, plucking a rose and fixing it into her hair. Yuuki smile, she wouldn't mind being a child again. She could finally try to play with her parents like other kids did. Humming to herself she got to work and started making a crown of flowers for Kyuubi. Reaching over she tried to lift the crown of daisies onto his head but he was too tall. Kyuubi noticed and bent down to accept his crown. Yuuki grinned before going back to make her own. When she was able to walk again she'd love to walk through the garden, feeling the life-force of the earth through her feet. The four of them stayed out for a while longer before Kyuubi decided it was time to get back to work. With a sigh Yuuki wheeled herself back into the house.

Back into the living room, with Kyuubi standing near by she tried to crawl. First she tried to gently ease herself to the floor but ended up face first. Kyuubi and Alucard seemed to find this funny but Yuuki found it annoying. Gathering strength to her small hands she used them to support herself while trying to feel for her legs. The tingling sensation was there so her steady connection with her legs was getting stronger. Now she tried to will them to move, to allow her to crawl on her hands and knees. At first they didn't seem to move but after a second of doubt they responded. After two hours Yuuki could crawl just fine. Kyuubi saw this and decided it was time to move on. Holding her hand and steadying her on her legs he tried to direct her but her legs weren't ready for that yet. Yuuki sagged in his arms and frowned in annoyance.

"It's not working Kyuubi"

"**Give it time. Rome wasn't built in one night"** said Kyuubi.

"Rome?" asked Yuuki, confused at the unfamiliar name. Kyuubi felt like smacking himself on the face. Of course the Kit didn't know, Rome was long gone and this could be a problem. If Yuuki was to face ancient vampires of the past she had to know what the past was like. With a sigh Kyuubi decided what to do.

"**Naruto since we can't rush your walking lessons I suggest we go about this a different way. Lets start exercising that brain of yours; it might help the commands to your legs get better. There is much knowledge that has been lost over time and I think it's about time someone retained such knowledge"**

Yuuki looked up at the great demon and paled, "just what will I be learning?"

Kyuubi grinned, **"Everything"**.

Yuuki gulped and so her days of torturous learning began. While the day was still young Kyuubi taught her history, not just any history the academy could give. No he taught the history of a world long gone, destroyed by its own hands. He taught the history of the twenty-first century. It had never occurred to Yuuki that such an advanced civilization could have existed before her time. It was even more depressing to find the cause of its destruction were the people themselves. If they had all this technology why couldn't they understand each other but then it hit her.

They were just like them, just like every human before them, jealous and scared. When humans were scared they became hateful of what made them fear and with the power play between the countries they'd probably hated their own neighbors. Hateful people could do the worst things and still feel justified by stupid reasons. The reasons certainly seemed childish to her right now. So much technology lost but without the machines she realized people began to rely on themselves more, learning chakra for one. To think so much history had been lost over the years, it was hard to swallow. Slowly she began to enjoy her history lessons, especially if Kyuubi decided to demonstrate something personally. The little gadgets he used gave her a base for her imagination, just how great had those machines of old been. Kyuubi wouldn't tell her how to make one though. He did give her some of the small gadgets as play toys.

_

* * *

One week later_

The days seemed to fly by between her walking, Chakra and History lessons. Yuuki didn't notice it much as the first month past by. On a Monday morning Yuuki woke up gasping for air. Since her rebirth she'd begin having dreams of her past life. So far they had all been happy memories such as her marriage to Hinata or the day Tsunade official named her as her successor. Today however she'd had a very scary dream, a bad memory of the past that she'd do anything to be rid of. But it was also the one memory that had kept her going through the last days of her past life.

_

* * *

Flashback to Dream_

_Naruto had just recently gotten back from the frontlines. Tsunade had been kind enough to release him so that he could be here on this important day. He skipped all the way to the hospital, everyone he met along the way waved with smiles on their faces. They were just as excited as he to be getting another Namikaze. _

_At the reception area within the hospital Naruto met his adopted older sister Shizune. She was startled when she'd turned around too quickly to come face to face with a grinning Naruto. She lightly smacked his chest in a sisterly manner. "Where do you get off scaring people? I almost cut off your tendons"._

_Naruto laughed, "It wouldn't have mattered what you did to me. I wouldn't mind since today's a very important day. So?"_

_Shizune gave him a sly look, knowing exactly what he was asking but wanting to drag it out of him. "So?"_

_Naruto flapped his arms in exasperation, "So! Where is she? How's she doing, nothing's wrong right?"_

_Shizune chuckled, "Oh calm down. She's fine; she's been having her contraction more frequently now so I think you made it just in time"._

_Naruto sighed in relief, he thanked the Lord he'd been able to make it in time. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he'd allowed Hinata to go through this alone. They'd see their child birthed together. "Which room is she in?"_

_Shizune looked at her chart, "room 120. I was just going in to wheel her into the labor room now. Come along father, it's time for you to gear up"._

_Naruto nodded enthusiastically, he followed Shizune's instructions to the letter. He put on the appropriate attire and entered the room with her. Hinata was on the bed, she'd probably just had another contraction because her face was scrunched up in pain. Naruto rushed to her side, taking hold of her hand. "Hey"_

_Hinata turned to him, tears leaking from her eyes as she saw the one man she loved the most. "Hey…" was all she could say back but the soft smile on her face warmed Naruto's heart. He began to pet her hair back, it was_ _wet with sweat but Hinata still looked beautiful. Leaning over he kissed her on the head, "We're going to take you to the labor room now baby. I won't let go of your hand so don't worry"._

_Hinata placed his hand to her forehead, so glad to he was here to help her through this. It was painful but she couldn't wait to see their baby, to see the fruit of their bond. She allowed herself to be wheeled into the emergency room. Tsunade wasn't there but she trusted Shizune to do the procedure. They prepped her up in the right position and gave her time to calm herself. Hinata hissed after a sharp contraction, "I think its coming"._

_Shizune nodded, as a trained professional she could already tell. Placing her hands out to catch the baby Shizune looked at Hinata and nodded. Hinata gave one strong push after another. Naruto urged her on all the way, it didn't matter that she was crushing his hand and the likelihood of him ever using it again was decreasing with each second. He watched his strong wife bring their first born to the world. It was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever_ seen.

_Suddenly a large crash came from outside the hospital. Naruto looked at her face and then to Shizune. As the fear and shock grew in their eyes the loud bangs grew even stronger. Finally Hinata said, "Go"_

"_What…?"_

_Hinata looked towards Naruto, a strained smile on her face. "You've done enough. You've stood by my side for so long now. I think I'll be alright for a few minutes. Don't worry when you come back you'll see our son. Go now, go and protect us" said Hinata as she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. _

_Naruto tightened his hold on her hand and returned the kiss in full, tears of anger streaming down his face. Whoever was doing this would pay dearly, and by dearly he didn't mean just death…no it would be far worse. Ibiki and Anko had taught him well after all. Looking towards Shizune he nodded, "Please take good care of her as I go settle this_".

_With Shizune's nod of agreement he flashed out of the room in streaks of yellow and blue. Upon appearing outside he saw the houses outside on fire with people scattered everywhere. As he looked for the perpetrator he spotted none other than Sasuke, his former best friend. Gnashing his teeth Naruto rushed at the man he'd once looked up to. The Uchiha seemed to be out of it, his eyes filed with nothing but rage. As the two clashed team hawk moved within the shadows towards the hospital. Naruto was too busy to notice. _

_The battle had lasted longer than Naruto would have allowed but just as suddenly as it had started, it had ended. Madara had suddenly showed up and called Sasuke off. Naruto couldn't make heads or tails about the whole thing until he'd flashed back into the hospital. His blue eyes widened in fear. The whole lobby was littered with bodies, blood splayed across the walls. Naruto rushed to Hinata's room, hoping and praying that she was safe. He had been such a fool; of course they'd do something like this. Sasuke was always fine with destroying everything he cared about. As he neared the room the carnage seemed to grow larger. The shinobi had probably given their lives to protect Hinata. _

_Sliding the white door he felt his heart shatter. He sank to his knees as the sight before him crippled his ability to stand. They had been here alright; Hinata and her unborn child had been brutally killed. Looking away he saw Shizune, her soulless eyes looking back at him. Naruto couldn't contain his sorrow, he screamed. Screamed so loud the whole of Konoha shook in his grief, the one woman he loved was gone. She and his unborn child stolen from him by the very man he called friend. Naruto crawled over to Hinata's side, taking her still warm hand into his and placing it to his face. He stayed like that, holding her hand and crying till her hand lost its warmth and even then he did not let go. _

_All his friends had gathered around once they'd heard the news. They all stood by the_ _doorway, not knowing what to do or say. Tsunade took the initiative and walked over to his side. Kneeling down with him and placing her hand on his shaking shoulders. _

"_I lost her Obaa-chan…I wasn't strong enough to kill him and now I've lost them" cried Naruto. Tsunade sighed, not happy about any of this and wishing she hadn't called him back. Knowing the pain of being there to see your loved ones die right before your eyes, Tsunade didn't wish such a fate on anyone let alone her adopted son. She cried with him, understanding how far the pain ran. "shush Naruto I know…"_

"_I shouldn't have…if I had just stayed she would…I'm so weak"._

_Tsunade pried his hands from Hinata's and hugged him, rocking him back and forth. "shush its okay…no one holds it against to you Naruto"._

_Neji walked over to him, his fist clenched tightly. Tsunade let go of her hug since she thought Neji would want the space but she and everyone were shocked to see him punch Naruto. The sad blonde hit the wall hard, coughing up blood. His broken blue eyes looked towards Neji, he did not retaliate. Tenten rushed over to grab Neji's arm, screaming him to stop but she was shocked to see him crying along with Naruto. _

"_Neji…I…"_

_Neji turned away, "Don't say anything…I'm just as guilty as you. We'll mourn her together, and avenge her together. Agreed?"_

_Naruto simply nodded; his blue eyes dull._

_End of flashback_

* * *

Yuuki began to wipe furiously at her cheeks but the tears wouldn't stop. She heard Kyuubi enter the room but she didn't look at him. She just sat upright in her bed crying silently. Kyuubi walked to her, reaching out to embrace her but stopped short. Was he the one to do this, he'd never really had a child of his own and he didn't know if he could really help his kit right now. Deciding he'd just do all he could Kyuubi took Yuuki into a big bear hug. She cried on his shoulder, clinging to him for dear life. Kyuubi simply sighed and stroked her long light blonde hair. "**It's okay Kit. Everything will be fine this time around, I won't let it happen**".

"You know what I saw…?" whispered Yuuki.

Kyuubi gave a weak chuckle, "**Even when you freed me from the seal I kept the bond between us. I was far too attached to let it all just go. Cry it out Kit; let it go so that you can start anew**".

Yuuki nodded; comforted that she was not alone. She and Kyuubi would protect Hinata this time around. Sasuke would never get the chance to get so twisted, she wouldn't let any of them be manipulated, not this time. Sucking in a deep breath and reaching deep within herself for the courage, she pulled away from Kyuubi and wiped away her tears.

"What's our itinerary for today?"

Kyuubi looked into his new daughter, "**Are you sure? Why not just relax for the day, I will allow it**".

Yuuki shook her head, "If I don't do something to occupy my mind I won't be able to think straight".

Kyuubi nodded, "**Well since you said that I won't regret doing this to you"**

Yuuki's light blue eyes narrowed, "Doing what exactly?"

Kyuubi didn't say anything, instead he showed her by dumping a series of large tomes and scrolls on her bed. **"For today we'll skip the walking lessons to give your legs a break from the strain. Instead I'll have you read all these history books. When you're done you are free to head to the garden for some rest".**

Yuuki looked at the stack of material on her bed and then back at Kyuubi. She was really starting to regret her words. Looking around she was surprised to notice Alucard and Integra weren't there. They'd been with them throughout the whole thing, their absence sort of made Yuuki feel a little emptier.

Kyuubi seemed to notice, "**Don't worry about them Kit. They have things to take care of in their world. For now you just finish the task set before you".**

Yuuki gave him a toothy grin, "One step at a time right"

Kyuubi allowed a smile to grace his handsome face. "**That's right…oh and one more thing. Not that we're expecting anyone other than Alucard's assistant but should anyone else come call me Katsu".**

"Katsu hmm, sounds weird not calling you Kyuubi but I understand" said Yuuki as she cracked open the first book. Kyuubi watched her with pride shining in his blood red eyes as he exited the room. Yuuki took out a scroll of her own to take notes. She worked away for most of her day, plunging herself deep into her studies to remove the aftershock of her dream. By the time she looked out the window it was already evening and she was almost done with the last scroll. The sun was still shining though so she figured going to the garden wasn't such a bad idea. She finished up her work and climbed unto her wheelchair, soon Kyuubi would have her using crutches.

She wheeled herself into the living room. She'd expected to see Kyuubi lounging away but the room was empty with the fireplace burning away. Yuuki shrugged it off and wheeled herself to the back of the house where the garden was. Once inside she felt a slight sting at the back of her eyelids but ignored it. She'd probably been staring at those books too long. She eased herself out of her wheelchair and lay on the grass, soaking in the sun. The sting grew stronger forcing her to close her eyes and let them refocus. Yuuki perked up when she heard foot steps within the garden. She looked around, expecting to see Kyuubi. She froze as she stared at her mirror image.

A nine year old Naruto stood across from her, equally frozen. Suddenly he turned halfway, as though getting ready to sprint off. Yuuki snapped out of her daze and called to him, "Wait!"

Naruto turned around, his blue eyes cautious yet no one could miss the longing.

"My name is Yuuki Hellsing, I live here. Who are you?" Yuuki felt weird asking herself that but then she had to remember she was an entirely different being now. Naruto seemed to consider how genuine her invitation was before shrugging and walking over to her side. He noticed the wheelchair and seemed to be saddened by this. Yuuki was quick to put his mind at ease, "I'm not entirely paralyzed. My keeper says I'll be able to walk soon".

Naruto smiled at this. Yuuki patted the grass by her side and he seemed shocked by this. So much so that he took a step back. Yuuki frowned but then remembered how the other kids didn't like playing with her when she was younger. She gave Naruto a smile, trying to lower his defenses a bit. They wouldn't get anywhere if he jumped at everything she did, expecting her to turn on him or say something mean. She tried to start the conversation again. "I just moved here with my guardian. Konoha is a very pretty place".

Naruto sighed to this, so that was why she was talking to him. She wasn't part of the village so she hadn't been told to hate him yet. Still it was nice to have someone his age mate talk to him. Yuuki was a pretty girl too. Naruto decided he'd take the gamble; he'd befriend Yuuki no matter what the results. He took a seat beside her.

Yuuki felt pleased that he'd allowed her to create a bond with him. Looking at her former body Yuuki couldn't help but blanch at how skinny she was and how short too. It was all because of lack of nutrition. Naruto was already hooked on cup ramen no doubt. She noticed Naruto had started to fidget with his white shirt. Had she always been so nervous when she was meeting new people? Yes, she had but she'd learn to hide it well by the time she'd gotten to the academy. She'd chosen to be the obnoxious class clone that didn't seem to mind anything, always bold and fearless. Yuuki sighed, would she let this Naruto go through all that again. It would be so easy to change the way she grew up.

As a kid all she'd needed was friends, loving hands to care for her and a figure for guidance. She could give this Naruto all these things but she wasn't so foolish as to think that wouldn't change things a bit. This Naruto may begin to depend on her and Kyuubi more and isolate himself from the village that was so hostile to him. He may feel he didn't have to try so hard to gain other people's approval as she had back then. Yuuki sighed, knowing about the future and deciding what to change and what not to change was harder than she thought it'd be.

"So why haven't I seen you in the village?" asked Naruto, the silence had probably gotten to him. At this age he wouldn't have much patience.

"Well I prefer the woods, things are alive here and it's nice" offered Yuuki, closing her stinging eyes.

Naruto nodded, placing his head on his knees. "I'm joining the ninja academy soon you know. I want to be the strongest ninja in the world just like Oji-san!"

Yuuki smiled, had she always sounded so convinced and strong about her dream. It was nice to hear it from another point of view. "So you want to be Hokage?"

"You bet! If I'm the Hokage no one can ignore me".

And there it was; the secret intent of her dream, to be noticed and appreciated. Yuuki rolled over to her side, "that's a nice dream. I'll give you something cool if you make it happen".

"Really! Okay that's cool. So why'd you move to Konoha?" asked Naruto, wanting to know more about Yuuki. She'd been one of the first to actually approve of his dream.

Yuuki took a moment to think of the best reason that would fit her predicament. She needed one Kyuubi could easily adopt. Looking towards Naruto she explained, "Well you see I got in the middle of a huge battle and got injured. My guardian Katsu thought it was better to change locations for me to heal".

Naruto nodded, getting the impression she wasn't telling him everything but he wasn't going to press it. She was one of the few friends he had right now. He went on to talk about Konoha and how nice it was, the place at least…maybe not the people. Yuuki listened to her former self describe their home and she felt her heart cry. She couldn't wait until she could walk again. She'd never take any of those building for granted anymore. Suddenly she reached out and touched Naruto's hand. The blonde jumped, surprised by the contact but not pushing it away. Her hands were warm. Naruto stared down at their hands.

Yuuki blushed, in her sentimental moment she'd acted without thinking. Still she didn't regret her actions. She wouldn't change how she grew up because that's what made her who she was but she'd give this Naruto a bit of support. She'd give him a family if he asked, she'd be cruel otherwise.

"So who's your guardian? I mean what's his name?" asked Naruto but he did not turn to look at her. Yuuki chuckled at his unusual shy behavior. "His name is Katsu. He's not in right now but I'm sure you'll like him if you meet him".

Naruto grinned, "His name's cool. It means victory right? Is he a ninja?"

Yuuki bit her bottom lip; she didn't really know the details to her living arrangements with Kyuubi. Where would they get their income? For now she couldn't work as a Ninja; in fact she couldn't get a decent paycheck for several years to come until she became a Junín. What did Kyuubi plan to do? Naruto took her silence as something else.

"I'm so sorry. After your accident you probably don't like ninjas much. Hm this will be hard; all I ever talk about is ninjas!"

Yuuki was startled by his sudden apology. She shook her head, 'it's fine. I don't hate ninjas. Truthfully when I'm able to walk again I intend to join the academy".

Naruto gaped, "Really! Ojisan said I could join after my birthday this year".

Yuuki nodded, remembering how she'd been so excited about the academy. At first she'd thought there was equality in the shinobi system. It had been painful when she'd found out how wrong she'd been. The teachers and students alike had been cold to her. Her grades had suffered from the lack of guidance and towards the end of the first year she'd given up. By the time Iruka had come into the picture she'd already decided to be the class clown. Would she let this Naruto go through the same painful process of becoming the village idiot? Yuuki didn't think she had it in her to be so cruel. But she'd have to be careful not to change too much. Somehow she had to make Naruto delay his entry into the academy so he'd still graduate with the rest of the rookie nine. He just wouldn't have to go through the pain of being a failure. That was the least she could do for him.

"Hey Naruto-kun why not hang back a year so we can go to the academy together. You're kind of young to be going in right now anyway" said Yuuki. She tried her best to plead him with her blue eyes. Naruto paused and looked away for a moment. He really wanted to start the academy but if he did what Yuuki was suggesting and attended with her wouldn't it be more fun. He'd have a friend and someone to do his homework with. Yuuki watched him weigh his pros and cons. In the end his need for a companion won out. "Okay I'll do it but only if you promise to be my friend forever".

Yuuki smiled, an easy enough promise to keep. "Sure thing Naruto-kun…Ah!" She couldn't finish her sentence when suddenly the sun's rays grew too strong. Yuuki curled into herself and began to shriek, shielding her face with her hands. The earlier sting from before had become a serious burning sensation in the back of her eyelids. Naruto jumped as he heard her shriek beside him. When he turned to look he saw her curled into a ball and whimpering. He couldn't understand what was going on but he knew his new friend was in pain. He reached out to comfort her when a low growl reached his ears.

"What happened?" said Kyuubi, his grocery bags long forgotten at his feet. He rushed over to Yuuki's side and pulled her into his arms. For a minute Naruto felt jealousy rear its ugly head. He wanted a family too but he didn't let that cloud his mind. His friend was in trouble; that was all he needed to know.

"Katsu…" groaned Yuuki as she tried to open her eyes in vain. Naruto moved away from the man named Katsu. Kyuubi noticed the shaken child beside him and realized his mistake too late. Naruto probably thought he was offended by his presence. Kyuubi grabbed hold of Naruto's arm after stabilizing Yuuki. "Wait! I am not angry at you. You're Yuuki's new friend right? Come we need to get her inside".

Naruto hesitantly nodded, too shocked for words. An adult other than Ojisan had talked to him, honestly talked to him and not blamed or badmouthed him. He helped Katsu grab his grocery bags and followed him into the house. Kyuubi placed Yuuki on her bed. Once inside she'd stopped shaking. Kyuubi held her hand to check her pulse, it was slowing down. He sighed in relief as he pressed his forehead against her small hand.

"Will she be okay?" asked Naruto. He was standing by the door frame. Kyuubi turned around, getting a good look at his former host. Naruto grew nervous under Katsu's intense stare. Inside him he felt something begin to stir. Kyuubi noticed his sealed self move within the boy and decided it was best not to stir trouble. Instead he tried to reach Yuuki through their connection. "_**What happened?"**_

"_Kyuubi is that you?"_ thought Yuuki in reply.

"_**No it's the Easter bunny, of course it's me. What happened?"**_

"_I don't know, suddenly my eyes started to burn" _thought Yuuki.

Kyuubi nodded, "_**I need you to pretend to sleep for a bit. I'll explain in more detail later"**_

"_Okay but what about Naruto?"_ asked Yuuki, curious to know what Kyuubi was up to.

"_**Leave it to me"**_ replied Kyuubi as he turned to face Naruto, "She'll be fine. She just needs to rest**".**

"But she sounded like she was in pain" countered Naruto, genuinely worried for his friend. Kyuubi nodded, "Yes, she was for a bit. You see her bloodlimit is just starting to manifest and it makes her sensitive to light. The sun's rays must have been too much for her**".**

"Bloodlimit?" asked Naruto.

Kyuubi grinned, "Yeah Bloodlimit, like the eyes of a Hyuga or an Uchiha. It's a common trait passed down in a clan that gives them a special skill. You'll learn about it when you get into the academy**".**

Naruto's eye brightened at the glimpse of what he'd be learning. He really couldn't wait now; looking towards Yuuki's sleeping form Naruto smiled. He'd be going to the academy to learn with a friend. "Do you know Yuuki wants to go to the academy next year?"

Kyuubi looked towards Yuuki, "_**What have you decided without me kit?"**_

Yuuki grimaced, "_Sorry, I just got carried away a bit. I made him stay back a year to save him from the pains of failing. I promised we'd join the academy together next year"._

Kyuubi sighed, "_**Is that all?"**_

Yuuki thought about it, dissecting her conversation with Naruto. "_Well he thinks I got injured in a huge battle in my country and that's why we moved. I've told him my paralysis is only temporary…is that okay?"_

Kyuubi chuckled, "_**I'm fine with whatever you decided kit. This chance is for you not me. One word of advice though; don't get so close he isolates himself from the others. Also do not change too much or nothing will be as before".**_

"_Okay, got it"_

"_**Good, now rest"**_ thought Kyuubi as he turned to Naruto. "Yes I am aware. Will you be going to the academy too?**"**

Naruto nodded, his past doubts rising up again. Would Katsu say she couldn't attend because of him? Kyuubi sensed his unease and smiled, "Do not worry I think it's best she attend with a friend. You will keep an eye out for her for me won't you?**"**

"Of course!" chirped Naruto.

"Then it's fine. I hate to say it but Yuuki needs some rest now. Bloodlimits aren't always easy on the body. Come back tomorrow okay**".**

"Okay" said Naruto, too happy to object to anything the man said. He let Katsu walked him to the door, bowed and left for his apartment. He couldn't wait to tell Ojisan about what had happened today. Kyuubi watched him leave with a pleasant smile, his red eyes narrowing as he saw shadows follow the boy. A storm was coming that was for sure, the question was when?

* * *

Okay I'll leave the chapter here. Thank you to all those that reviewed, you really make it worth writing. I hope to gain more reviews from more of you, I want to know what you think. Criticism is fine, what doesn't break you makes you stronger after all. Either way thanks for reading this. I'll try to update my other stories as well.

Itachi: When do I come into the picture?

Chibi Narrator: Takes some time but it won't be long now.

Itachi: …fine.

Chibi Narrator: ! Are you sulking? Is my baby sulking?

Itachi: shut up.

Chibi Narrator: So cute! Yeah see you next time!


	3. Chapter 3: the journey begins

_Nobody knows  
Nobody knows but me  
That I sometimes cry  
If I could pretend that I'm asleep  
When my tears start to fall  
I peek out from behind these walls  
I think nobody knows  
Nobody knows no_

_**Pink - Nobody knows**_

**

* * *

Chapter two: The journey begins with a step.**

Kyuubi made his way back into Yuuki's room. The little girl was seating straight up in her bed, her face turned to him with expectation written all over her face. "So is what you said about the bloodlimit true?"

"**Depends on what you consider the truth**" said Kyuubi as he took his seat beside her once more with a nonchalant attitude. Her irises were blood red but Kyuubi was sure she didn't even know that they'd changed color. "**Yuuki how long have you had this body now?**"

"About a week, why do you ask as if you don't know" replied Yuuki not too sure where this was going.

"**You see it takes some time for a vessel to get used to a new soul. Your vessel is just beginning to notice your vampiric nature. I say bloodlimit because it is common for all vampires to gain stronger senses such as sight and hearing even strength. It's part of the vampiric family tree, therefore a bloodlimit for vampires**".

Yuuki nodded having heard this before, "You've told me about the benefits before and I guess you're right on the vampiric tree thing. Still I've had good eyesight since I awakened why is it that suddenly I'm shy to light?"

Kyuubi tsked, "**You're not listening, I told you. Your vessel is finally getting used to your soul. You are a hybrid Yuuki. Your eyes started burning today because the sun was too bright for their sensitive receptors. It always has been but since your body wasn't fully connected to your soul you've been missing the signals**".

"So that's what the stinging at the back of my eyelids was" said Yuuki, astonished that such a thing was possible. Kyuubi sighed, "**Exactly, from now on you'll be able to accurately gauge your body's reactions to things. Besides since you were reborn you haven't been in the sunlight but once. That's probably why this hadn't happened sooner**".

Yuuki sighed, "So how do we fix this?"

Kyuubi stood up and grinned, "**Get you some shades of course**".

Yuuki frowned, he looked too happy about this. "So we're going into the village. What about the house?"

"**Don't worry about it. No one walks into my den and gets out unscratched**" said Kyuubi, his fangs glinting in the light. Yuuki rolled her eyes, "There had better not be any charred bodies lying around when we get back".

"**I'll go get your wheelchair now princess**" retorted Kyuubi, avoiding the implications of what she'd just said. Yuuki stuck out her tongue the moment he was gone.

"**Keep it that way and you may never use it again**".

Yuuki quickly pulled back her tongue. Just how did he know what she'd done? Sometimes Kyuubi could be real scary. He came back with her wheelchair and helped her into it. Before leaving the room however he tied a red ribbon over her eyes.

"What's this for?" asked Yuuki surprised that she could still see through it with easily.

"**Do you want to fry your eyes again, if so, by all means be my guest**" chimed Kyuubi. Yuuki frantically shook her head, that pain wasn't pleasant. Kyuubi nodded his head, happy she learned quickly. He wheeled her out of the cabin and stopped a few inches from the door.

"Why'd you stop?" asked Yuuki.

"**Just making sure we don't get any unwanted visitors**" said Kyuubi with a nonchalant tone to his voice but Yuuki could see the evil delight in his red eyes. Whoever came after them would be facing something horrific. She watched as Kyuubi touched both sides of the door frame. He stood there for a few minutes, at first Yuuki couldn't see any change but suddenly the house disappeared. It was like it had never been there; the spot had been covered with trees and medium sized stones. It looked like a normal clearing.

"I take it there won't be any charred bodies then?"

Kyuubi turned around and chuckled, "**If they can get past the mirage then yes there will be. Everything works in stages, my defenses are no different**".

Yuuki shook her head, "Well come on lets go paint the town red".

Kyuubi gave her a toothy grin, "**Well I wouldn't mind doing that one bit**".

"Not literally!" corrected Yuuki, afraid he just might. With Kyuubi one could never tell.

"So what color do you want them to be?" asked Kyuubi as he began to wheel her towards the village again. Yuuki turned her head to see over her shoulder. "What to be?"

"Your shades, stupid!" teased Kyuubi, knowing how much Yuuki probably wanted to hit him right now. Yuuki growled as predicted, "Just wait until I can walk again. I'll have you kissing the floor soon".

"You wish" gloated Kyuubi, happy to say he'd never lost against his kit but knowing it would come someday. "So really what color?"

Yuuki placed her small index finger to her chin and thought about it. She remembered Alucard's pair of orange wire-framed sunglasses and couldn't help but giggle. Kyuubi raised a brow to this, not sure if he'd need to be sending her to Saint Patrick's soon. Most of the mental institutes were always named after the saints for some reason. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, I think I'll go with orange" said Yuuki, keeping her little inside joke to herself.

**

* * *

Scene Skip; Konoha **

Naruto ran through the streets of Konoha with a grin nearly splitting his face. The villagers weren't happy about it of course but he didn't care about their feelings. He'd just gotten his first official friend! He nearly crashed into a man but the stranger had been able to stand his ground. He stopped Naruto with his arms. Naruto looked up at the stranger; the man was middle aged with black hair and eyes. He's stance was rigid and Naruto feared the worst. Maybe this villager would call the authorities on him for this.

"Watch your steps imbecile"

Naruto watched as the man walked away. He noticed a fan like design on the back of his kimono. The man's words had stung but Naruto wouldn't let it bother him. He continued towards the Hokage tower, a bit slower this time. The receptionist behind the desk didn't want to admit him but she didn't have to. Sarutobi had been on his way out when Naruto had come rushing into the tower. He smiled at the young boy. "Oh Naruto how are you today?"

"Ojisan you won't guess what happened today!" cried Naruto as he led the man by his hand back into his office. He didn't want the villagers to hear him. They may do something mean to Yuuki because she was his friend. Once he'd closed the door, Naruto snapped around, his eyes filled with excitement. "I made a new friend today!"

Sarutobi gaped; he wasn't sure what to say. "That's good news, who is it?"

"Well she said her name was Yuuki Hellsing. She stays in a cottage by the forest. Her guardian's name is Katsu. Do you know them?"

"No, Naruto I don't. I've never heard of them but the name Hellsing sounds familiar somehow" said Sarutobi, now curious. He sat on his desk, careful of the stacks of paper. This was interesting indeed, he hadn't been told of anyone living in the forest. "How did you meet her?"

Naruto scratched his head, "Well you see I'd just played this prank on some kids from the academy because they said I was too stupid to join and well…"

"Well?"

"They got angry and started chasing me so I ran into the forest for cover. I stumbled on Yuuki in her garden while I was there" explained Naruto, his cheek red from the embarrassment of telling on himself. Sarutobi sighed, "Naruto what have I told you of causing trouble for others".

"They started it!" he protested in a brash manner. Sarutobi shook his head and searched his desk for documents on the local real-estate. There didn't seem to be any information about any cottages in the forest, let alone anyone buying them. This seemed fishy; Sarutobi robbed his beard as he thought on it for a bit. The last name rang a bell in his head but he couldn't place where he'd seen it.

"That's not all Ojisan; Yuuki-chan said she'd go to the academy with me. Oh and I don't think I'll go this year…I sort of promised her I'd wait till next year" murmured Naruto with his head down. He knew Sarutobi had pulled a lot of strings to get him accepted into the academy but he really wanted to start it with a friend.

Sarutobi stared at the boy for awhile, his eyes searching for anything that would hint towards him being manipulated by ninjutsu. There was nothing so he relaxed. "Well if you really think it's for the best then I'll just set you up for next year. Oh and I would like to see this new friend of yours sometime. Think you can arrange that?"

Naruto's head snapped up at Sarutobi's easy acceptance of his decision. His expression became uncertain, "I don't know. You see Yuuki said she can't use her legs for a while and her guardian Katsu might not let her go out in her condition".

Sarutobi frowned, "She's paralyzed?"

Naruto nodded, "She said she got mixed up in some battle and lost control of her legs. She said that was why they'd moved here. If I can get her to come please be nice to her".

Sarutobi rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "You know I will Naruto, have I ever been mean to you. Please bring your friend and her guardian sometime; I would like a chat with them".

"Okay I'll try to Ojisan…so can we go for some ramen!"

Sarutobi sighed, his wallet had only just recovered but he couldn't refuse Naruto. "Alright, lets go celebrate your first friend shall we?"

Naruto nodded his head frenetically, jumping off his seat. "Come on!"

Sarutobi chuckled as they both walked out his office. Naruto always seemed to find a way to make his days interesting. It pained him to think of the deep hatred the village held for this young child. Feeling compelled to, he took Naruto's small hand into his and had them walk hand-in-hand to Ichiraku's.

**

* * *

Scene Skip**

Kyuubi wheeled Yuuki into town, stopping at the gates to give the guards their fake papers. Yuuki took this time to look at her home. It had been so long since she'd seen the large green gates stand so tall and proud. She felt her eyes begin to water but she forced herself not to cry. The guards would probably think something weird was going on, that or she was nuts. She waited patiently for Kyuubi to wheel her past the gates and into the village itself. It was amazing to see it all again. She felt overwhelmed as she saw familiar faces among the villagers, even the ones she didn't necessarily like brought joy to her heart.

"Take all the time you need" whispered Kyuubi as though he could tell what she was feeling. Yuuki placed her hand over his and cried silently to herself. She didn't realize how much she'd missed this…all of it. As Kyuubi wheeled her into town slowly she soaked it all in. She'd point at familiar places and share her memories with Kyuubi. Just talking about it seemed to make the experience more meaningful. She didn't know when but soon she found herself smiling and laughing at her happier memories with Kyuubi. There was a weight within her heart that had lifted, making her feel lighter and more willing to accept things as they came.

Kyuubi moved towards a store on their right. Yuuki looked up to see the store was named; 'Fashion's best'. She grinned at the cheesy name but said nothing all the same. The store was much cooler than the name though, she had to give it that. They had a variety of clothing lines just waiting for someone with a fat wallet. Yuuki was glad to say she happened to be one of those people at the moment. Having a king spirit for your guardian did have its perks. She stayed away from the clothes for now though and allowed Kyuubi to wheel her towards the accessories. He stopped in front of the shades and whistled. "**Well which one do you think you want**?"

Yuuki looked at them, not sure since there were so many. She'd said orange earlier but the other colors seemed to be fair game now. She reached out and picked a square, wire-framed shade with brown tinting. Kyuubi released the ribbon and brought the mirror closer so she could get a better look. They both got a good laugh when they realized the shades had been too big for her face. Yuuki took them off and paused, shocked by her irises. "How?"

"**Have you forgotten that when you use my power they turn red, it's the same with your vampiric nature. Whenever your vampiric nature rises up your eyes will change to this**" explained Kyuubi as he picked out another pair for her to try on. This time it did fit but it made her look nerdy to the extreme. She laughed at this too before reaching for a pair of orange shades. These fit like a glove, not too big but not too small, she could get used to these. "What do you think?"

Kyuubi chuckled, "**you ask me like you don't know. You look stunning**".

Yuuki blushed but her smiled grew with the compliment. "Lets look for some more!"

Kyuubi shook his head at her antics. "**Get whatever you want kit, today's yours**".

"Excuse me can I help you?"

Kyuubi and Yuuki turned around to politely declaim when they noticed the staff member wasn't talking to them. The petite woman with short curly brown hair was talking to a boy. He had his back turned so they couldn't tell who he was but he had long black hair with a preference for dark clothing. They gasped as he turned to face the lady, revealing himself to be Uchiha Itachi. Yuuki gripped the arms of her wheelchair as she tried to gain control of her breathing. She couldn't do anything now, instead she choose to watch the interaction.

"Yes, I'm looking for a present for my mom" said a young Itachi. From the corner of his eye he could see the pair that had stopped to watch them. He felt a stab of sympathy for the little girl in the wheelchair but something told him to be wary of the two. Maybe it was her guardian that stood with an unreadable air about him or maybe it was simple the red eyes they both seemed to share. Either way Itachi pretended not to see them and went back to talking to the sale's lady.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" she asked.

"No"

"Well what does she like?" asked the Sale's clerk, trying to make her job easier. Itachi looked around the store again but nothing stood out to him. His mother was a special woman to him but he just wasn't the type to shop. He looked back at the sale's woman; she seemed to be waiting for him to say something. Itachi wished he knew what to say but the lifestyle in the Uchiha manor was pretty much plain. He'd never seen his mother were jewelry or any of the fancy things other women seemed to claw for. His mother could afford them without a doubt but his father would probably frown upon it. Maybe he should have just gone to the Yamanaka's flower shop. Flowers were a safe bet.

"Wait one minute while I go see what we've got" said the Sale's clerk, making a break for it.

Yuuki couldn't help but laugh; she'd never seen a more clueless man other than herself in her past life. She looked towards Kyuubi, who was looking at jackets. "Give me a sec okay".

He hummed away and pretended not to know what she intended to do. Yuuki wheeled herself over to Itachi's side. He stiffened at her presence but Yuuki didn't let that deter her. "You looking for something?"

"I believe you've already heard most of the conversation before now. You should know" said Itachi, his tone neutral. Yuuki blushed at being caught; she hadn't meant to look like a nosy shopper. "Well would you like my help?" she offered.

Itachi looked down at her, transfixed by her red eyes. They looked so much like the Sharingans and yet they were so different. There was no malice there though he was sure there could be someday. Shrugging he allowed her to lead him to the Jewelry section.

"I don't know much about your mom but I think she'll appreciate something with feeling. Why not get her a pair of matching necklaces; one for her and one for you. Most people think stuff like that's cute" ventured Yuuki, not sure how he'd take that. Truthfully she'd never talked to the elder Uchiha before in her time. He'd either been after her life each time they'd met or teasing Sasuke to grow stronger. The only time she'd been able to talk to him was when he'd given her his powers to protect Sasuke. Yuuki bowed her head; she'd failed such a caring brother.

Itachi was thinking about her suggestion when he noticed a change in her mood. He frowned, not sure what could have caused it. He hoped she wasn't lacking self-esteem because that could make things difficult. He didn't like the idea of another necklace around his neck but he noticed a box set at the corner of his eye. It had a stunning silver necklace with a jade stone, with a matching ring and earrings. He picked it up and showed it to the strange girl.

Yuuki looked up, startled out of her dark thoughts by the beautiful set. She smiled and locked eyes with Itachi, "I think we've got a winner. So will you take the ring and give her the necklace and earrings?"

Itachi nodded; glad to have a present for his mom's birthday. "Thanks for the help".

Yuuki shook her head, for all the messed up shit that happened to him in her time this was the least she could do. She smiled and stretched out her hand, "My name's Yuuki Hellsing. It's nice to meet you Uchiha-sama".

"Itachi is fine" he said, not feeling like dragging his family name into this. Yuuki nodded, understanding his humble nature. She pointed towards Kyuubi, "That's my guardian Katsu".

The stupid demon lord was flirting with one of the sale's ladies. Yuuki rolled her eyes, sometimes he could be such a pig. He was probably working his way into a sale even though they didn't need it. Yuuki had never met anyone stingier with money than Kyuubi. It would be a pick-pockets worst nightmare to run up on him. Yuuki shook her head but when she'd turned back Itachi had already gone. She felt a bit let down, having wanted to chat with him some more but decided it was for the best. She shouldn't go changing too much now; her presence wasn't meant to be felt yet. She wheeled herself back to Kyuubi's side, glaring at him as he sent away the bubbly shop clerk.

"**Did you know these glasses were on sale for 30% off?"**

Yuuki gave him a sly grin, "Was that before or after you smooth talked her?"

Kyuubi waved her off, "**My ways are legit, now get yourself some more things and lets get back home. It's getting late and I want to see what my trap's caught**".

Yuuki pretended to be offended but the whole shopping experience had been fun. She'd gotten three pairs of shades; one orange, the second black and the last a dark brown. Kyuubi had some of the store staff help her try on some new outfits before their shopping was done. Yuuki was sad to leave the village after being unable to see it in such a peaceful state for so long. Kyuubi assured her however that they'd come back again, on her next break. She'd look forward to that.

It was nightfall when they'd gotten back to the forest. The woods were silent, as if everything had gone to sleep. Yuuki didn't like it but there was little she could do in her current situation. She eyed Kyuubi to express her unease feelings but he already seemed to know. Slowly he wheeled her back towards their home. Standing where their home should be hidden was a woman. She stood like a solider, arms at her side with her feet spread slightly, ready to go at any time. Her hair was a short spiky blonde and she wore all black with patches of red. Her red eyes turned to them the moment they entered her range. Yuuki gulped, not sure who this lady was but feeling too young to die again. She tightened her grip on Kyuubi's hand.

The woman seemed to look at her for several moments before relaxing. She smiled and stretched out her hand, "My name is Seras Victoria. I am part of the Hellsing Organization. I am in your service Mistress".

Yuuki paused, unsure of what was going on. She looked to Kyuubi for an explanation but all he did was hit her on the head. "Don't look at me like that, have you no memory. Alucard told you he'd be sending someone didn't he!"

Yuuki blushed; it had been so long since she'd seen the two. She'd sort of forgotten about it. She wheeled herself closer to Seras and smiled, taking her hand and giving it a good shake. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Yuuki Hellsing and that is my guardian Kyuubi".

Seras looked towards Kyuubi, her eyes narrowed but she said nothing. She didn't trust him but it would be rude for her to start anything when she was the guest.

"So shall we go in, I don't particularly like standing out in the cold" said the king spirit. Seras nodded, stepped aside and waited with Yuuki. The man placed his hand upon the air, his fingers spread on an invisible wall. He chanted a few words, his palms glowed a bright red as the house materialized. Twisting the wooden handle Kyuubi ushered the two females in. His clever red eyes catching the shifting shadows as he closed the door. He really had been hoping one of the rodents had tried something…oh well; other chances for stupidity would arrive. They always did.

* * *

Okay ladies and gentlemen how did you like this chapter? I hope it was good, sorry for the wait. There it was the first Itachi sighting, aren't you excited!

Itachi: glad I finally appear.

Chibi narrator: you're such an attention whore.

Itachi: …(lights chibi narrator on fire).

Chibi narrator: Argh! You…bastard! Pyro-retard!

Itachi: Katon-

Chibi narrator: shut it or you won't be showing up in any other chapters.

Itachi:…

Chibi narrator: who said I could tame you.

Itachi: your hair is still on fire.

Chibi narrator: Argh! For the love of-

Itachi: till next time.


	4. Chapter 4: Time goes by

Here's the new chapter. Sorry for the wait. I hope you like it, don't be shy, review. Thank you very much in advance. Oh and by the way I will not be sticking closely to the timeline established by the manga/anime. I will twist things to better serve my plans.

_This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong  
Who would have guessed it  
I will not leave alone  
Everything that I own  
To make you feel like it's not too late  
It's never too late_

"_**never too late" by Three days grace.**_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter three: As time passes**

_Monday Morning; within the Hellsing cottage._

Yuuki rolled to her side, content to be enveloped in this warmth. She didn't feel like waking up but the stinging in her eyes told her it was morning. She'd just being having a flashback of her childhood years after the academy. Those days had been fun, even with the emotional ups and downs. Talking with Naruto about the academy yesterday must have brought them rushing back. She smiled as her light blue eyes opened.

She gasped; she'd forgotten that Seras had to sleep in her room due to their lack of planning. Kyuubi said he'd be working on adding another room to the cabin starting today. Still it was nice to have Seras in her bed; there was this motherly warmth that appeased her heart. Looking at Seras' sleeping face Yuuki decided she was a very pretty woman. Still in her mid twenties, Seras' spiky blonde hair gave her a youthful look. Yuuki could still remember her red eyes; they had been different from Alucard's. They weren't as jaded, there was a light there that made Yuuki just know this woman was strong. Still Yuuki knew time would tell her all she needed to know about Miss Seras…for the main time however! Yuuki snuck back into Seras' arms, simply content to be there.

Seras' pink lips formed into a grin but she didn't give any indication of awakening. She tightened her hold on her little mistress, feeling pleased with her new mission. For once she didn't feel like strangling her master. They stayed like that for a while longer before Kyuubi busted into the room, cranky as hell. He took one look at the sleeping pair, felt his little heart gladden and then hauled the covers off them. He grinned at his handy work as they began to writhe back, reaching for the covers.

Yuuki and Seras both opened their red eyes to glare at him. They crawled out of bed spouting colorful language as they righted themselves. Kyuubi couldn't help himself as he busted out laughing. The two had a bad case of morning hair. He laughed till his stomach hurt; finally he looked at both of them again. They looked beyond pissed but the effect was lost as he took another look at their hair. He started laughing again, annoying the hell out of the other two within the room.

"Laugh it up fox, just you wait until I dye your fur" grumbled Yuuki. The threat was dismissed however since she was till half asleep and therefore her spoken words unrecognizable. Seras looked at her charge, as a police officer she'd been taught to take any situation with a straight face but this. She couldn't help it, she started laughing as well. Yuuki became infuriated, what was wrong with these people. She stomped into the bathroom, looking for an escape from the incessant laughing only to come face to face with the cause. She screamed and they laughed even harder.

Yuuki looked at her reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at her looked glum with a large frown on her face. Yuuki took care of her messy hair and without noticing, she began to laugh at herself. She brushed her teeth and returned to the room. Kyuubi and Seras had stopped laughing, though there was a look of disappointment as she entered the room. They'd probably wanted another good laugh before the event was fully over. Yuuki grinned, serves them right. She looked toward Seras, "You want to take care of your hair too?"

Seras nodded, but she didn't go into the bathroom. Her hands were like magic, in a few second her hair was perfectly fine. Yuuki gaped, "How did you do that?"

Seras chuckled as she moved towards the bathroom to brush. "Practice, beside my hair is short enough to do that".

Yuuki nodded, holding a few strands of her long light blonde. They gleamed in the sunlight and Yuuki couldn't help but feel they were fine as they were. She wouldn't go cutting her hair just yet. Now fully awake Yuuki jumped back onto the bed beside Kyuubi.

"What are we going to learn today?"

Kyuubi's eyes glowed with amusement. "Do you know you just walked to the bathroom unassisted?"

Yuuki paused, her eyes growing wide with shock and awe. She quickly got up; testing her legs again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. She didn't fall, the connection to her legs were there. She looked back to Kyuubi with wonder across her face. "How...you said…"

Kyuubi chuckled and gave her a toothy grin. "I guess you still hold true to being Konoha's number one at surprises"

Yuuki pouted though her eyes couldn't hide how pleased she truly was. "No Kyuubi, I really want to know how I suddenly recovered?"

Kyuubi took on a thoughtful expression. "I guess it's because you're fully connected to this vessel now. Well that and your vampiric nature finally springing to action. Vampires heal fast you know, mentally and physically".

Yuuki nodded slowly, she could already feel the butterflies in her stomach. Finally she could walk again! She ran over to the bathroom, making Seras pause her brushing. "Seras-san I can walk again!" she chirped.

Seras looked her over; yes, it seemed Yuuki wouldn't need the wheelchair anymore. She smiled and Yuuki laughed. Seras paused, wondering what had been so funny until she turned around and repeated the same action to the mirror. Her eye widened as she realized how funny she looked smiling, with the white toothpaste foam around her mouth. She rinsed her mouth and grinned. "That's enough laughing for now don't you think Yuuki-chan".

Yuuki nodded with a wobbly smile as the two walked back into the room. Kyuubi sat with his legs crossed and a serious expression on his face. "So Seras was it?"

Seras nodded, feeling on the spot. Kyuubi continued, "How exactly did you get here?"

Seras scratched her head sheepishly, "Alucard-sama said I shouldn't come by car or anything because of the technology level here but I couldn't follow that rule. I came by motorbike, its parked close by in the forest. I can show you".

Kyuubi frowned, "I'd like that".

**

* * *

A few yards from the cottage **

Seras stopped abruptly; Yuuki didn't understand why until she began to pull apart the underbrush. Hidden behind the bushes was some sort of mechanical device similar to an ordinary bike, only bigger. It had a shiny coating of black and dark blue paint. It was beautiful. Yuuki stood stock still, not sure what to do. Finally her curiosity fought its way to the forefront. "What is it?"

Seras grinned, "This is a motorcycle. It runs on gasoline".

Yuuki looked towards Kyuubi, who didn't look as happy as she felt. Was this Motorcycle thing bad? "Kyuubi what's wrong? Isn't this one of those technologies you were teaching me about?"

Kyuubi nodded, "Yes, it is and that's why I don't like this. We can't introduce any advanced technology to this realm; it has to gain it on its own, over time. Seras-san you'll have to agree with me when I say we should keep this hidden and use it only in emergencies".

Seras didn't see what was wrong with having a motorcycle but she could tell Kyuubi was serious about this so she simply nodded her head. She looked towards Yuuki who was still looking at the bike with awe. "Can I at least teach Yuuki how to use it, should she ever need to?"

Kyuubi was about to say no but then he looked at Yuuki again. He didn't want to mess with this dimension's process rate, but he didn't want to limit Yuuki either. Shit happens and there just might be a time Yuuki would need to use such a thing. He sighed, "Fine but practice only within the underground basement of the cottage…"

Yuuki's head snapped around, "We have such a thing?"

Kyuubi continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Tell me first before you do so I can be there should anything happen. There are already soundproof seals on the walls so don't worry about being too loud. I might as well put one on your bike as well. What's the use of being able to travel fast if everyone can hear you a mile away, right?"

Seras nodded, re-thinking her evaluation of the man. Sure she still thought he was scary as hell but she could tell he deeply cared for her mistress. That was good enough for her, for now. Yuuki crossed her arms and pouted. A whole conversation had just gone on between the two and they hadn't even let her decide anything. Maybe having older people take care of you wasn't so cool after all. Briefly she wondered if this was what her child with Hinata would have felt. Suddenly she began to feel weak. She crumbled to her knees, panting with her heart racing.

"Yuuki-chan are you alright?" called Seras, kneeling beside her charge. She looked towards Kyuubi for an answer but the demon fox looked as bewildered as her. Yuuki had seemed fine just a few minutes ago. He tried to reach out to her, to help her stand but her legs buckled and she fell back. Kyuubi's red eyes narrowed, he tried to help her stand again and Yuuki fell once more with a strained expression on her small face. His intuition had proven true. "Yuuki you have healed but you are not fully healed yet. Your legs are not strong yet and it's a strain for you to walk too much".

Yuuki looked up to him, her blue eyes pained, "W-what?"

Kyuubi sighed, his eyes showing an understanding of her pain. "I'm sorry Yuuki but you're not yet ready to be walking for long periods of time. You can walk though, that's a huge start. We just need to get your legs stronger with practice".

Yuuki' head was bowed to shield her expression but Seras and Kyuubi didn't need to see it to know she was crushed. Kyuubi sighed and cradled her into his arms. He turned to Seras, "Walk the bike".

Seras didn't like his commanding tone but she could tell he was only mad because of the situation. She could understand that so she did as she was told. With her vampric strength pushing the large bike through the rough earth wasn't hard at all. They arrived back at the cottage not long after, Yuuki's good mood gone. Kyuubi placed her in one of the breakfast table chairs. He gave her one final worried glance before heading towards the kitchen to make breakfast. Seras moved towards the little girl in hopes of comforting her.

"What took you guys?" called a voice.

Seras jumped; slowly she turned to see her master and his wife floating by the doorway. Alucard looked at them, his red eyes narrowing as he saw Yuuki's blank face. "What happened?"

Seras bowed her head, not sure how to say it without hurting Yuuki a second time. To her surprise it was Yuuki that explained her current situation. "It appears my legs are not yet healed. I was able to stand this morning though thanks to your blood".

Alucard nodded, "That doesn't sound odd, so what's with the gloomy face. You knew you wouldn't be walking soon, why so crushed to hear something you already knew?"

Yuuki turned away from his scrutinizing eyes. Alucard huffed and floated over to her side. He poked at her legs, causing her to shiver from the chill of his ghostly fingers.

"What's so great about walking right now anyway? Everyone's doing everything for you right now. I'd take advantage of that while I can if I were you. When your legs fully heal, your work begins as the heir to the Hellsing name".

"He's right you know" said Integra; she'd been quite all this time. It was soothing to hear her strong voice; it was like an anchor to Yuuki. Slowly she resurfaced from her depression; she wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. She turned to the others, an optimistic smile spreading on face. "You're right, sorry to have worried you".

Alucard approved of her change in attitude; he withdrew to Integra's side. Yuuki stared at the pair, feeling a bit of joy from the sight of them. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed them till now. "So where have you guys been?"

Alucard raised a brow to this. "Isn't that my question?"

Yuuki stuck out her tongue in a playful manner. She squirmed when she felt Kyuubi's large hand on her hair, reprimanding her antics.

"It seems your subordinate did not take your warning on technology to heart. Her bike is parked outside, I'll be taking it to the basement in a moment" said Kyuubi.

Alucard's eyes snapped onto a fidgeting Seras, his lips forming a thin line. "Seras you seem to have grown wings, do you challenge what I say!"

Suddenly the temperature with the room dropped, everything felt clustered and Alucard's expression had grown dark. Yuuki's mouth opened in a silent gasp, she felt as though the air had been knocked out of her lungs. It was like the waves mission all over again but Alucard's killer intent was out of this world. Yuuki looked to the corner of her eye to see Seras trembling in her seat. She felt bad for the blonde; one motorcycle wasn't worth all this. Yuuki looked back towards her great grandfather and scowled. He was acting like an idiot.

"Ojisan stop!" yelled Yuuki, finding the strength to hold her head as a queen would, chastening her subject. Alucard seemed startled, his killer intent spilling back into the confines of his caporal form. Within herself Yuuki was running in circles, would he be angry that she'd stopped him? Could she handle him being angry at her? She felt like fainting but used every bit of strength in her body to block the fear from her eyes. Several moments passed and no one dared to breathe, finally Alucard busted out in a fit of laughter. Yuuki felt off-balance from his sudden change of attitude.

"It seems like everyone is determined to defy me. Just this once I'll forgive you Seras but do not defy me again" his tone left no room for argument; it was deadly at best and cruel at its worst. Yuuki gulped, not so sure she'd have the guts to ever stand up to him again after today. She looked towards Integra who stood there, looking like the poster image of serenity. She hadn't been fazed by his burst of power, or his threat. Suddenly Yuuki had to wonder just what her grandparents were capable of.

"Well that was pleasant. Now that the threats have been passed can we move on to breakfast" chimed Kyuubi, nonchalant about the whole thing. Yuuki couldn't help but feel only she and Seras had been shaken by the whole thing. She bit her lip, not liking the feeling of being so weak. She felt Seras hand over hers and she could see the gratitude in the woman's face. Alucard would have done something to make his point; if she hadn't stopped him Yuuki had no doubt about it. She was beginning to see there was a darker side to the usually playful man. She and Kyuubi went on to eat but she noticed Kyuubi hadn't set a plate for Seras.

"Kyuubi why isn't Seras eating?"

Kyuubi looked up from his eggs, "Kit she's a full Vampire. She can only drink blood; it would be the same for you if you weren't a hybrid. As it is you'll only need blood once or twice a week".

Yuuki's blue eyes widened, "But I don't ever feel anything like that. I'm content with just eating regular food".

"hm-hm" said Kyuubi in a disbelieving tone. Yuuki's cheeks became flush as she refrained from flinging her food at him. She froze as she felt ghostly hands on her cheek. She turned to her right to see Integra looking at her, a bit of sympathy within her calculative eyes.

"I'm afraid your guardian is right Yuuki. You may not feel it now but you will in time".

"Yeah and you'd better have a blood bag ready because when you do, it won't be pretty" chimed Alucard, finding such a morbid situation quite funny.

Yuuki looked down at her appealing food, watched as it turned to blood before her eyes. She felt something inside her stir but as soon as the image came it left. She should have felt relief in normal circumstance but somehow there was a deep disappointment within her. She jumped at the knocking from the front door but she was relieved at the timing.

Seras stood up, "I'll get it".

Kyuubi nodded as he raced for the backdoor to hide the motorcycle. Seras opened the Cottage's polished wood door to see a little boy of nine, with short spiky blonde hair much like hers and blue eyes. She smiled at him, doing her best to hide her fangs.

"May I ask what you're doing here little boy?"

Naruto looked up at the new woman. He hadn't seen her the last time he'd been here and Yuuki hadn't mentioned anything about Katsu being married. Still she obviously belonged to the cottage so he did his best to be charming. Yuuki was one of the few people who didn't shun him, Katsu too. He didn't want that to end just because he ran his big mouth. Contrary to what people believed Naruto did know he had a large mouth that sometimes got the best of him. Slapping his fists to his sides Naruto bowed.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki; it's nice to meet you!"

Seras looked at the little boy again, thinking how cute he was. She could tell he was trying his best to get on her good side. Placing her hands on her thighs she bowed as well. "My name is Seras Victoria; it's nice to meet you too. Would you like to come in Naruto-kun?"

"Yes please" Naruto was amazed, maybe he should try being polite more often. He remembered a time when he'd been nothing but polite, when he'd been in the orphanage. The Stewarts had ignored him though and the children had continued to be mean so he'd given up being polite. At least when he was rude people would stop for a moment to curse at him for being so. Some attention was better than none. Still he was so glad that Yuuki's people were so much better than the villagers. He didn't necessarily enjoy being rude.

Seras stepped aside and allowed him in, closing the door soon after. Naruto looked around the medium sized cottage. His eyes traveled up the steps, then ventured back down to survey the open hallway. He could see the long dinning table at the hallways' end and two other doors along its side. He jumped as he felt someone pat him from behind. Twisting around he saw Seras, she seemed surprised by his reaction. Naruto blushed; she probably thought he was a wimp, jumping at every little thing. Still he couldn't help but think of how cold her hand had felt on his back.

Seras smiled, trying to reassure the child of his safety. "Yuuki-chan is having breakfast in there right now, wanna join?" asked Seras as she pointed to her left. It was then Naruto noticed the doorway to his left. There was a sweet scent in the air. His stomach growled, answering for him before he could even fain protest. Seras chuckled and led him through the doorway. She offered Naruto a seat before reclaiming her own. Naruto looked at Yuuki and then Katsu; they both seemed pleased to see him, which was good. He didn't want to intrude on their family moment. The room was nice, spacious with two windows that supplied fresh air.

"Ohayou Naruto-kun!" chirped Yuuki, taking a drink from her glass of orange juice. Katsu raised his as if to toast to it. He didn't mean to but Naruto found himself grinning to the warm welcome. He always imagined something like this for a family, his family.

"Ohayou Yuuki-chan, Katsu-san".

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow, "Since when did I give you the permission to call my little girl chan?"

Naruto gulped, and everyone laughed at how serious he was taking it. The laughter evaporated his nervousness and suddenly he couldn't help but laugh with them. Yuuki and Kyuubi were gladden by this, for the first time Naruto would understand what it felt like to laugh with the group and not the other way around. The rest of breakfast went well; Naruto's loose nerves began to relax as the meal went on. If Yuuki wasn't mistaken he may have even taken a liking to her sarcastic Kyuubi.

Once breakfast was done he offered to help Kyuubi with the plates but the demon lord refused his aid. "Why not go out to the garden with Yuuki?"

He noted how Naruto froze at the prospect. Yuuki sighed; she'd probably scarred him beyond repair with her little seizure. She grabbed his arm to gain his attention. "It's fine now. I've got my shades!"

True to her word, Naruto did notice the pair of wireless orange shades, propped on her little nose. With one last look at Seras and Kyuubi Naruto wheeled Yuuki out to the garden. He helped her off the wheelchair and onto the soft grass. Suddenly the thought occurred to him.

"Won't Katsu be mad about you messing up your dress?"

Yuuki looked down at her cute blue dress and shrugged, "The worst he can do is ask me to wash them myself and I'm okay with that".

There was a loud bang and the two children felt the earth shake beneath them. Naruto jumped up, twisting to see the cottage. Yuuki grabbed hold of his hand though, before he went running into the house. She shook her head, "It's fine, Kyuubi's just building a room for Seras-san".

"Oh…who's Seras-san to you anyway Yuuki-chan?"

Yuuki thought about it, she didn't know much about Seras so she didn't dare lie only to have it blow up in her face later. She decided it was best to give the vague truth of the matter. "She's a long lost relative of mine that's come to stay with me to teach my about my family. I haven't really been in contact with the main branch of my family so there are many things about my family tree that I'm unsure about".

Naruto nodded in understanding, he didn't know either of his parents after all. He'd gone to the library in search of their names or at least sometime about their clans but in the end it was all futile. There was nothing to be found and he'd given up hope when he was seven. The librarian hadn't liked him coming in anyway; she'd tried to catch him stealing every chance she got. At one time she'd even pretended to check out a book for him only for her to call the police when he'd headed for the door. She'd claimed he's stolen the book; it had been Ojisan that had gotten him out of that one. No one would listen to what he said. He'd given up going to the library all together since then. Some dreadful experiences never went away.

"So what's going on in Konoha right now?" asked Yuuki, trying to strike up a conversation. She knew for a fact that her former self was a cheerful person who loved to talk. The only times he'd be silent was when his mind was venturing towards unsavory thoughts. She had to distract him from such things.

Naruto shook off his bad memories, within his mind he listed out the notable events going on in Konoha. Suddenly his deep blue eyes sparked to life at a thought. "Hey Yuuki-chan do you know there's a festival that's about to happen?"

Yuuki shook her head, thinking back on it now she did remember the festival. It had been dedicated to the end of the Shinobi wars. In her past life she remembered blowing it off to train for the academy in the forest.

"What about it Naruto-kun?"

Naruto blushed at the familiar honorific. He began to scratch his head sheepishly. "Well you see…usually I don't go to these sorts of things. But I want to go with Yuuki-chan this time, will you come?"

Yuuki thought about it, yet another thing that would change the flow of things. She didn't know how this would change future events if she went with Naruto to the festival. Still she couldn't stop her curiosity from taking over her. As a child she'd always forgone the festivals for training since she didn't have the money and her presence had always seemed unwanted. Now she was getting a second chance to live out the experience. Could she really put her mission at stake for just one night of fun? Looking at Naruto's nervous facial expression she knew saying no would hurt his feelings. Oh what the heck!

"Sure, what day?"

Naruto gasped, shocked that she hadn't declined. Having a friend that was willing to be open about their involvement with him was still something rare to him. Smiling brightly he outlined the date for Yuuki, even going so far as to say he'd come pick her and Katsu up. Yuuki just grinned and let him ride on the wave of excitement.

"So it's a promise, three days from now, on Saturday we'll go to the festival together" said Yuuki, holding out her pinky. Naruto just stared at it; he seemed to be at a loss. The sudden realization that at this point Naruto had never performed the pinky swear hit Yuuki. She blushed at her forwardness and taught him how the rhyme went. Naruto seemed to enjoy the experience and Yuuki couldn't fault him for it. There was something so wonderful about being able to do something so silly and let it have meaning. The two dropped back to looking at the clouds.

"So what's your favorite color?" asked Naruto, wanting to know more about his new friend. Yuuki's light blue eyes caught him from the corner of her vision. She smiled a little. "I'd like to say blue but all the colors are so pretty".

Naruto looked puzzled, "Really?"

Yuuki rolled over, propping herself on her elbows. "Of course, sure mud brown doesn't always look great but when you match it with a pretty cream color it looks lovely. Lavender is also pretty".

Naruto thought about it and suddenly a flashback of a little girl with soft lavender eyes pushed through his memory. He couldn't help but feel the same after that. She'd been pretty. Yuuki smiled, she could tell what Naruto was thinking about, or rather who he was thinking about. In her past life, at this age she'd only seen Hinata once. It had just been a chance encounter that had left her looking speechlessly at the band-aid the little hyuga had placed on her bruised arm. Her memories had faded over time though and by the time the academy had begun she'd forgotten. This time however Yuuki would make sure Naruto remembered. Who's to say she couldn't go about playing cupid while she was saving Konoha.

"So what game do you want to play first when we go?" asked Yuuki.

Naruto placed his index finger to his chin and thought about it. "How about the scooping game?"

Yuuki grinned, "No fair you read my mind!"

Naruto chuckled and playfully defended himself against her light blows. "Hey no hitting, it's not my fault we think alike".

Yuuki nodded, it wasn't. Just a few days ago they were of the same existence. She laughed and lay back on the grass, placing an arm over her face to shield her eyes despite her orange shades. "Will you wear a kimono?"

Naruto thought about it, honestly speaking his wardrobe was very limited. Still he wasn't sure that was something you'd want to tell anyone, let alone a new friend. He blushed, feeling shame wash over him momentarily. Yuuki bit her lip, she'd been careless. She'd stepped on a landmine without meaning to. She should have known Naruto was very self-conscious about his financial state. Starting up a nervous laugh to ease the uneasy silence she began to backtrack. "You see I asked you because, Katsu was trying to get rid of a bunch of his old clothes from when he was a kid. They aren't worn down or anything, we're just new to the area and don't know where the donation center is. I just thought we could give them to Naruto-kun and save ourselves the trouble of trying to find one. If you don't want them that's okay. I know how some people think it's insulting to take hand-me-downs".

"…" Naruto didn't say anything, his bangs were covering his eyes and Yuuki felt her heart sink. She tried yet again to save the situation. "I don't think it's insulting at all. I think it's being resourceful".

She counted off the seconds, waiting for him to blow up on her about her looking down on him but it never happened. Naruto smiled at her, "its okay, I don't think you're insulting me or anything. It did come as a shock though. Sure I'll take 'em and if you're still looking for somewhere to donate stuff I know where the local orphanage is".

Yuuki smiled, relieved that she hadn't caused him to distance himself from her. She held onto his hands. "Lets go tell Katsu, I'm sure he'd be so happy to hear this".

Naruto nodded, feeling a bit sheepish but at least he was helping them out. This was what friends did right, share stuff? He didn't think there was anything wrong with that. He got to his feet and helped Yuuki into her wheelchair before wheeling her inside. Seras was seating in the living room by the fireplace. She'd been reading a book but paused at the sight of them. She saw the grass stains on Yuuki's dress and shook her head but she didn't comment. They were kids after al, playing and getting dirty was all they did.

"If you're looking for Kyu-"

Yuuki fixed her with a hard stare, daring her to say anything else. Seras stopped, she'd forgotten and nearly revealed Kyuubi's true name by mistake. She gave Yuuki an apologetic stare, trying to convey her sincere apology through her eyes. Yuuki seemed to breathe easier when Naruto said nothing. She nodded at Seras, urging her to try again with more caution.

"If you're looking for Katsu, he's just clearing the debris from the wall he had to take down for my room".

Naruto nodded, he'd noticed Seras slip of tongue but hadn't said anything. It was something Yuuki didn't want him to hear so it was obviously family matters. It wasn't his business to pry into their affairs. Still he felt a stab at not being let in on the secret. He wheeled Yuuki towards the progressing guest room. Katsu had taken off his shirt; they'd clung to him after awhile of constant labor. He paused, stilling his hammer to look at the two children.

"What is it Kit?"

"I told Naruto-kun about our little give-away problem" said Yuuki, secretly giving him a recap of their earlier conversation.

Kyuubi nodded, "Wait one minute, I'll go get them".

Thinking quick Naruto stopped him, "um would it be okay if you kept it in your house".

This got Yuuki and Kyuubi's attention. So he didn't want to take it to his apartment for fear of it being stolen or degraded in a break in. Kyuubi nodded, "That's fine".

Naruto left out a sigh of relief, happy they hadn't questioned him further. It was weird how Yuuki and Kyuubi never really asked him too much. It was like they already understood him and his need for space at times.

"Well you can't take it out now but you can at least try them on" ventured Kyuubi; glad he had a few tricks up his sleeves for situations like theses. He led the two up to his room, offering to carry Yuuki up the stairs. Within the master bedroom, he set Yuuki on the plush bed and motioned for Naruto to take a seat beside her as he pretended to rummage through his closet. In truth he was casting a transportation spell to bring forth a golden chest. Dragging the crest over to the two children that could pass off as twins he grinned. He could see the surprise on Yuuki's face was as genuine as Naruto's.

"Here you go" he opened the chest and allowed the young boy to pier inside. Naruto gasped, Yuuki hadn't been lying about them being in top-shape. The clothes within the chest looked as though they hadn't been worn at all but there were the small signs that proved that claim to be false. Carefully he ran his fingers over the fabrics, feeling the silk texture of some and the smooth texture of others. He saw a dashing deep blue kimono within the mix that held his interests and refused to let go. Looking at Kyuubi for permission again he reached in and pulled it out. It was beautiful with a gradation of deep and light blues for a color scheme in the design of wave patterns.

Naruto couldn't help it, his eyes began to water. These were people he barely knew and yet they treated him better than most of the people he knew. He felt himself shake with gratitude towards them.

"It's alright" he saw Katsu looking down at him with understanding eyes. As a child he had little control of his emotions, the tears came spilling out like rivers. Suddenly he felt warm arms around him.

"We'll be your family if you want Naruto-kun" whispered Yuuki. Naruto was too overwhelmed to say anything. He couldn't even bring himself to ask them how they knew he was an orphan, rather he simply nodded.

* * *

**Scene Skip; Uchiha Manor**

Itachi was seating on the walkway by the garden. He was looking at the sky when suddenly a flicker of light caught his attention. Looking down at his hand he took notice of the glowing jade ring on his middle finger. He still wasn't used to its weight. His mother had loved her gift though, his father hadn't really cared for the obvious show of affection but Itachi hadn't missed the wooden box he'd been carrying around for the past six days. It was silly how his father was trying so hard to fit into the Uchiha build of a stone hearted man. It was funny because Itachi knew as long as his mother was around his father's heart could never fully turn to stone.

She and Sasuke brought light into this dark household. His baby brother would be going into the academy next year. Itachi knew he was more than ready for the challenge. Their father had made sure of that but still he felt uneasy about bringing Sasuke into the Shinobi world. He didn't like the idea of his brother being sent on a mission and not coming back because some stray ninja got a lucky shot. If Sasuke hadn't been born with such a strong body maybe he'd be sheltered for a bit longer.

That thought brought his mind back to the little girl within the wheelchair. She was four years his junior but still Itachi couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she'd looked. He'd never seen her in the village before and after their meeting he was beginning to wonder if she was a ghost. It was either that or she was a passing traveler. Still she'd said they'd just moved here, so there was a chance that they'd meet some other day. Suddenly he chided himself for wishing Sasuke had a weaker body, no one deserved to have afflictions that strangled their choices at such a young age.

"Niisan"

Itachi looked over his shoulder to see his kid brother. He was growing up to look just like him; a fact that made Sasuke bristle each time someone mentioned it. Itachi smirked and motioned for Sasuke to come join him. Sasuke followed, his expression puzzled. Itachi grinned lightly, Sasuke was still too impulsive. He wasn't used to seating down and simply relaxing or letting his mind wonder in meditation. Itachi decided he'd have a bit of fun. He did nothing and simply sat like a serene statue, staring out at the garden his mother had done her best to tend to. He counted down mentally as he waited. Sure enough Sasuke began to fidget, his small hands going through seals. A nervous habit, Itachi realized his little brother was starting to acquire.

"Restless already?" the final blow.

Sasuke bounced up to his feet, glaring at his big brother. "What's that suppose to mean!"

Itachi simply closed his eyes; Sasuke was hot tempered, deserving of the Uchiha's element of fire. Still Itachi knew the most dangerous flame was the one that was calm and calculative. Sighing he got up; he knew why Sasuke had sought him out. His little brother had come to idealize him it seems. He didn't necessarily want it since it put so much pressure on Sasuke himself but there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop it. Sasuke wanted him to train him again. Smiling he offered Sasuke his hand.

The younger brother looked at his outstretched hand and grinned. He grabbed hold and dragged Itachi to the training grounds outside village. They waved to their mother on the way but did not stop to chat. Upon arriving at their private training ground Sasuke stopped and stared at his brother expectantly. Itachi shook his head at his brother's zealous behavior. At least he was dedicated to becoming strong. Taking a sweep at his favorite training ground Itachi noticed the circular targets attached to the trees. This exercise was far too advanced for little Sasuke but…

"Okay little brother, I'll teach you how to hold your kunai right".

Sasuke just stared at him, dumbfounded before his vacant expression turned into a snarl. "I already know that Itachi-niisan!"

Itachi shook his head; some things were better demonstrated than spoken. "Okay then hold out the kunai you got from father on your last birthday".

Sasuke did as he was told, bringing out his small kunai from his pounce and holding it tightly in his left hand. Itachi looked at his hand, just looked, not saying a word. Sasuke began to fidget; maybe he was holding it wrong. The little boy started to change his grip under his brother's scrutiny. Itachi sighed.

"That is why I told you I'd teach you to hold your kunai right. In battle there is no room for hesitation. You must be sure of most if not all things; your own grip is a must".

Sasuke's eyes went wide, had his big brother been testing him. He bowed his head in shame for being skeptical of his brother's intentions. For a moment there he'd thought his brother was just saying that to make fun of him and not teach him anything. Itachi saw this, knew the humble pose and knelt by his kid bro. He ruffled his short raven locks. This got Sasuke to look up with his usual annoyance and energy.

"It's okay to doubt what you are told once in awhile. That's what stops you from being a follower but remember that I'm your aniki. I wouldn't say anything I didn't honestly mean".

Sasuke nodded, having been put in his place in such an understanding way. Itachi began their lesson from there, teaching Sasuke to lighten his grip on his kunai. Holding the kunai too tightly would only pain the young boy's hand, cause the blood circulation to stop and there's less accuracy in a numb hand. Holding the kunai too loosely wouldn't be good either, risky for the thrower and the target or anyone within the vicinity for that matter. Once Itachi was sure his brother understood just the right amount of pressure to use he let the boy practice just holding it on his own. He could tell the kunai was a foreign object to Sasuke's body. He waited for some time before finally deciding one thirty minute lesson wasn't enough to make it become a natural skill. He'd told Sasuke as much, rather he asked his kid brother to hold onto the kunai at all times for two days. To prove how serious he was and to help boost Sasuke's enthusiasm he promised he'd do the same. He'd already learned this but it never hurt to go back to the basics, especially if it might help his little brother out.

The Uchiha siblings returned home before the rain hit. Their father stood in the front hallway to greet them. Well maybe not greet them; he had his usual grim expression. His eyes honed in on the kunai in Sasuke's hand and then on Itachi's.

"Kunai training" was all Itachi said before returning to his chambers. Sasuke looked between Itachi and his father. He was a child but he could tell there was a tension between his father and his aniki. Sasuke didn't know what had happened but he hoped they could get over it. His mom didn't like it and neither did he. He looked up to his father and brother and he'd like to train under both of them. That was his dream.

Shaking off the sudden wariness Sasuke bowed to his father and went in search of his mother. She was probably in the kitchen, cooking lunch. Sasuke wondered if she'd ever teach him to cook, she always looked so happy doing it. Maybe he'd find joy in cooking too.

Chapter's done for now. I hope you've all enjoyed it. Once again sorry for the wait, I understand the stress it can induce since I go through it too with other writers. I hope for reviews, since they're what makes it worth writing.

Chibi Narrator: I fill this one is long enough.

Itachi: It is.


	5. Chapter 5:time flies by

_Believe it or not everyone have things that they hide  
Believe it or not everyone keep most things inside  
Believe it or not everyone believe in something above  
Believe it or not everyone need to feel loved, feel loved  
But we don't and we won't  
Until we figure out_

"_**Believe it or not" by Nickelback**_

**

* * *

Chapter four: **_**Time flies**_

Flashback

_Naruto stood, his feet planted to the ground as he looked at the shinobi before him. This man was known all over the shinobi realm, his skills unprecedented. Yet as Naruto looked into this man's dark eyes he couldn't help but feel a deep sadness. He couldn't help but see a wary soul in need for rest. Some would say it was all his atrocities coming back to haunt him but Naruto know better. This was something more sublime. _

"_Do you care for him?" asked the man._

_Naruto let his fisted hands fall to his sides. "Yes and I will save Sasuke!"_

_Itachi sighed, "Do you think you can bring him back from this darkness?"_

_Naruto nodded, his features firm. Itachi gave him a small smile, "Then I shall give you the means to save him"._

_Naruto didn't understand, he was about to ask what Itachi meant when the man dispersed into a flock of black crows. They moved too quick and too radically for him to understand their course of flight. All he could do was try to shield himself but even so the birds somehow managed to break through his defenses. They headed straight for his mouth, forcing Naruto to swallow them or choke. Naruto frowned, hating genjutsu and how weird it made things. The event was over in seconds however; even so Naruto could feel something new within himself. It was discomforting to have anything of a serial killer's within him…or at least that was what Naruto thought at first. It wouldn't be till much later, after Itachi's death that he realized the man had been innocent. He'd simply been carrying out the orders given to him by the council with a heavy heart. _

_It wasn't until his final match with Sasuke that he realized Itachi had given him more of himself than he'd thought. The man had given him a means to stop Sasuke; he'd given him his power. That had been what had tipped the scale. _

_End of flashback_

* * *

Yuuki woke up in Seras' warmth once more. Kyuubi was still working on the extra room so she didn't feel guilt about cuddling. Seras was turning out to feel more like a bigger sister than anything else. Yuuki liked waking up like this; she feared how it would be when Seras' room was complete. She'd be left on her own to her memories and shadows. Still she decided it was best to stick with the present and have the future play out on its own. She lay like that for a little while longer before maneuvering towards her wheelchair.

Her blue eyes caught sight of the window, watching the rising sun past the fluttering red drapes.

"Ohayou Yuuki-sama"

Yuuki looked to see Seras, propped on her elbows with a smile on her charming face. Yuuki smiled back, "Ohayou Seras-san".

"How about I get your bath started" said Seras as she went over to the bathroom. She waited for the bathtub to fill up with warm water, before putting the bubble formula. She wheeled Yuuki into the bathroom and told her to brush her teeth first as she placed the final touches to the bath. Yuuki was curious to see what Seras was doing; she was used to eastern style of scrubbing one's self first before taking a dip in the tub. Seras' style was obviously different. As if reading her mind Seras looked at her through the mirror.

"I'm from Europe; this is how I like to take baths. It'll leave you smelling good for the whole day" said Seras as she scattered rose petals all over the bathtub. Yuuki looked at her curiously, she'd heard of some people doing this but those had been the high class. People like the daimyou and such. Once she was done brushing her teeth she allowed Seras to slowly ease her into the bathtub. The water felt and smelt good to her, the bubbles enticed her inner child to come out to play. Seras watched her with a calm, gentle glint in her red eyes. She blew a bit of foam into Yuuki's face, smiling as the child giggled.

Alucard had told her of the situation with her new master. He'd told her that in truth her mistress was 25 and had been male in her past life. It was hard to imagine looking at her now as she was. Other than what she'd been told Seras had to admit she didn't know much about her new mistress. It was something that nagged at her conscious.

"Yuuki-sama who were your parents, that's if you don't mind me asking" said Seras hurriedly, knowing she may have been asking for too much.

Yuuki paused her play with the foam and bubbles. "It's okay. Well in this body my biological parents are Integra, Alucard and Kyuubi. This body is made of all their DNA combined. In my past life my parents were Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. Those are Naruto's parents but he doesn't know it yet".

Seras nodded, she knew Yuuki couldn't speak much about the details of the time warp. She moved on to lighter subjects as she sponged down her charge. "So what are your favorite games to play?"

Yuuki's face went blank. "I didn't play much games when I was a kid. I mean I saw the other kids play but they didn't include me for a long time. I stuck to pulling pranks on them and the adults. It wasn't until I'd gotten team seven to loosen up a bit before I was included in any kind of games at all. But they weren't really games since we'd already graduated the academy by then and were serious about being ninjas. Well me and Sasuke were".

Seras nodded, marveling on how someone could miss out on so much during their childhood years. She made it her objective to make sure the house was stuffed with children games by the end of this week. It didn't matter if they were intellectual or not. She went on to ask more as she dried off her mistress. "Who's your hero?"

Yuuki looked at Seras, "why do you want to know all this?"

Seras shrugged, forgetting she hadn't fully tied the towel around her charge. It dropped and her hands flashed out to catch it before it hit the ground. Yuuki watched her fast paced movement in awe. Was that the Vampric speed Kyuubi had been talking about?

"I just thought I'd get to know you. Alucard is all about mysterious. I just thought it would be fun knowing about my master for once".

Yuuki nodded, "Well in that case my favorite people are my fathers Namikaze Minato and Kyuubi. While I may not know one he did everything he could to assure my safety and that counts in my book. Kyuubi, well he's just been with me since I was a child. He's always seen me through everything in his own cool way".

Seras smiled, she could understand the love of a father. Her father had been strong and kind hearted too. His death had saddened her beyond belief but it had given her a focus. Even in death he'd guided her. "Yuuki-sama I think you and I will get along quite well".

Yuuki lifted her arms so Seras to get the pretty green lace dress over her little body. She smiled, "I think so too".

Seras pulled on her chubby cheeks, causing them to glow red. Yuuki pouted but giggles burst out of her lips soon after. She noticed Seras look at something over her shoulder. Turning she saw Kyuubi standing by the doorway in a fashionable full red jumpsuit with black flame patterns. She grinned; leave it to him to turn something so normal into the hottest thing around. His long red hair was in a ponytail, probably to keep it out of the way as he worked.

"Ready for breakfast ladies?"

"One minute, Yuuki just took her bath. I'll be going to take mine now" commented Seras as she retreated into the bathroom. Yuuki wheeled herself over to Kyuubi, taking his hand into her little ones. Despite the hard work he'd been performing yesterday they looked perfectly fine. She wondered if her healing factors would ever match up to his.

"They will".

Yuuki looked up, startled. "How did you know what I'd been thinking?"

Kyuubi grinned and began to walk away, humming to her annoyance. Yuuki went after him. "I mean it! How did you know?"

Kyuubi sighed, the jig was up. "The link between us leans towards my side now. Before we could both block out what we didn't want the other to know but with your body being reverted back to a child's I can focus in and retrieve anything".

Yuuki bit her lip, not liking this very much. "I'll need to work on building my mental defenses then".

Kyuubi pretended to be in pain, "Now why do that? I thought you liked me being in your head".

Yuuki rolled her eyes, "As much as I like bird poop falling on my hair".

Laughter trailed out of the bathroom. Seras had come out with a blue towel wrapped around her frame. Her body was the perfect mix of muscle and yet the feminine curves were there. Yuuki dragged Kyuubi out of the room by the arm. If she'd left him there he'd probably have never made a move to leave. He could be such a perv at times. They moved over to the breakfast table.

Alucard and Integra were waiting for them there. Yuuki waved, "ohayou Interga-san, Alucard-san".

The two waved back and waited for Seras to come out before digging in. Yuuki marveled on how well Kyuubi could cook. She could have used the advice when she'd been a kid in her past life. Her cooking had been horrible for a time; it'd gotten better with practice. Eating with a pleasant expression on her face, Yuuki couldn't think of a time she'd been this happy before Hinata.

"What will we do today?" she asked.

Kyuubi thought about it, "Well I'll be working on Seras' room so I doubt your lessons will be possible".

Seras was about to say something when a small knock was heard. She stood to go open the door for Naruto.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you" he said, his cheeks red.

Seras waved off his distress. "Its fine, we were expecting you. Feel free to come here whenever you please. You're family now".

Naruto gasped, he'd thought yesterday had been a dream. He felt tears well up in his eyes but he did not let them fall. Seras was still a woman after all; he had to be a strong man. She led him into the dining room, katsu and Yuuki waved.

"Glad you could make it, Naruto-kun" said Yuuki.

They ate breakfast with a comfortable atmosphere to help settle the food. After breakfast Naruto offered to help Kyuubi with the construction of the new room. Kyuubi turned him down at first but then thought against it. It would help the boy grow stronger and the room would be made faster. With his consent Naruto rolled up the short white sleeves of his t-shirt and got to work. Yuuki watched them and cheered them on despite their mutual dislike of her being so close to their hazardous work. Seras made refreshments after a while and had Yuuki serve it to them. Both males smiled, and drank from the glasses greedily.

The day went by pleasantly enough with the construction and all. Finally the room almost seemed to be done, Kyuubi estimated it would take another days' work. Naruto asked if he could help again the next day and everyone assured him he was welcomed to. Kyuubi made a joke of Yuuki being lazy and how Naruto was much better. That had earned him a slipper to the head and laughs all around. Afterwards they'd all decided to seat around the living room and tell ghost stories. When it was dark, Naruto made to leave but Yuuki could see his legs shake. She hadn't meant to put fear in his heart but then she realized she was a 25 year old in a nine year old's body. Naruto was mentally and physically nine.

"Hey Naruto-kun why don't you stay here tonight?"

Naruto turned around, not sure if he'd heard right. Everyone in the living room were looking at him expectantly, no his ears hadn't failed him. "I don't want to be a bother…"

Kyuubi waved off his concerns. "Don't worry about it kit. Besides I won't hear the end of it from the lazy brat if I let you go out there shaking in your boots".

To this both Yuuki and Naruto puffed up, their cheeks blazing. "I'm not lazy!" "I'm not scared!"

Seras and Kyuubi looked at both and busted out into fits of laughter. Yuuki and Naruto pouted, looking to one another for backup. Who cared what the grown ups said. Still their offer brought warmth to Naruto's heart. "I'll stay if it's not too much trouble".

Kyuubi shook his head, "No trouble at all Kit. You can sleep in my room with me".

Yuuki pouted, "No way you get to hug my best bud!"

Kyuubi grinned, "You get to hug yummy Seras-san".

To this everyone in the room except the pervert in question's cheeks blazed red with embarrassment. No one argued with the sleeping arrangements though. Yuuki went to bed with Seras, giving Naruto a last wave good night. Naruto followed Katsu to his room. It was larger than his bedroom, that Naruto got right off the bat. The color themes were rich shades of red and black. Naruto plopped down on the comfy bed, running his hands over the red comforter. He hadn't noticed when Katsu had returned from the bathroom, dressed in a dark blue yukata. He handed Naruto a smaller, lighter blue yukata.

"Take a shower before going to sleep kit".

"Why do you call me that?" asked Naruto, noticing Katsu called him and Yuuki the same thing. Katsu just grinned, "It's what a fox calls its young".

Naruto gave him an odd look. "That's weird. I don't understand".

Katsu just shook his head, ruffling the little boy's blonde locks. "Maybe not now but you might figure it out someday. Now go get ready for bed".

By the time Naruto was done Katsu was already in the bed, propped on one elbow. He motioned for Naruto to join him, which he did. Katsu pulled the covers over them, tucking Naruto in. The young boy didn't know what to do. He'd never been tucked in before. He did decide he liked being tucked in. He rolled on his side and closed his eyes. Katsu tapped his nose lightly. "Good night kit".

"Good night Katsu-niisan…"

Katsu's red eyes widened, he hadn't expected that but it had been a pleasant surprise. Smiling he wrapped his arms around the little boy and fell into a light sleep.

* * *

That's the end of this chapter. Thank you so much for reading. Please feel free to review.


	6. Chapter 6: when we were young

_It's a thief in the night to come and grab you  
It can creep up inside you and consume you  
A disease of the mind, it can control you  
It's too close for comfort_

"_**Disturbia" by Rihanna**_

**

* * *

Chapter 5: When we were young**

_Flashback_

_Naruto was training in the forest like always when he wasn't playing pranks. Lately he'd been getting this weird feeling that someone or something was watching him. Still every time he looked he saw nothing so he put that matter aside and focused on hitting his target. Which wasn't easy with blunt kunais but what was he to do. The shops would rob him out of his allowance if they could get away with it. _

_He tried to throw the kunai again, with more force this time. It stuck and Naruto jumped for joy. He heard a twig snap behind him. He looked for the noise but saw nothing. Feeling a little more scared than elated he packed up his stuff and left the training grounds. As he ran back towards the village he couldn't help but see a purple necklace on the floor. Slowing down he stopped and went back to it. _

_It looked expensive, probably belonged to one of the clans. He didn't know what to do; if he took it and was caught with it the villagers would accuse him of stealing. Still he knew someone would steal it if they found it after he left. He dropped his things and started to pace for a bit. He had to think of a way to give it back to the owner without making it too easy for anyone to take it. Looking around he tried to see how his surroundings could help him._

_His eyes climbed the trees and suddenly his mind seemed to clear. He picked up the necklace and climbed up the tree closest to him, tried to reach just the right height to catch the perfect angle. Once he was sure he had, he hung the necklace on a thick branch. With his work half complete he climbed back down and craved into the bark a message for whoever had left the necklace. _

"_What you seek hangs high"._

_It was vague enough and only someone looking for the necklace would know what to look for. He picked up his equipment and ran back to the village. _

_A figure came out of the bushes. A little girl with short raven locks, her lavender eyes watched the young boy run off. Then she looked at the message and smiled, it was sweet of him. Slowly she climbed up the tree to retrieve her mother's memento. Later that day Hinata got in trouble for messing up her kimono. Still she smiled as she was locked in her room, happy to still have her mother's memento. _

_End of flashback._

Yuuki woke up, surprised she remembered that day. She'd been seven; Naruto must have already done that by now. She hadn't known about Hinata's part of the story till Hinata told her on their honeymoon. The Hyuuga heiress had brought out the necklace with a shy smile. Yuuki smiled, liking such warm memories.

"What are you cheesing about?" came a groggy voice.

Yuuki looked back at Seras and smiled, "nothing, just memories".

Seras smiled, her eyes failing to hide the mischief she must have felt. Yuuki let it go and they got ready for the day. Kyuubi was already seated at the breakfast table, a bright smile on his face. Naruto on the other hand looked worse for wear. He had bags under his eyes and a frown.

"What happened to you?" asked Yuuki as she wheeled herself to her place at the table. Naruto tried to give her a pleasant greeting but it was shadowed by his glum mood.

"Did you know Katsu kicks in his sleep?"

Yuuki looked towards Kyuubi. He'd never done that when she slept beside him…unless… Yuuki exploded into bouts of laughter. Naruto actually growled, "What! you think that's funny sunshine!"

She laughed even harder now, "Yes…I…do, Katsu doesn't kick in his sleep. He did that on purpose!"

Naruto stilled, just before he launched himself at Katsu. He intended to do harm to the asshole, serious bodily harm. Kyuubi caught the boy with ease, chuckling at his weak blows. He turned to Yuuki, "Now why'd you tell him that, look what you've caused" he whined.

Yuuki and Seras shook their heads, "Don't blame us sadist. You should have been kind to your sleeping partner".

"And here I thought we were friends" said Kyuubi just as Naruto got a lucky shot at his chin. The demon fox stilled for a minute, as did everything else until he slowly turned his head towards the child. His lips parted into a toothy grin before he lifted Naruto like a sack of rice and took him to the living room. Yuuki and Seras didn't even get the chance to enter the living room proper before they heard screams for mercy.

They'd expected a brawl, they'd expected something far worse but as they came within view of the room they stopped short. Kyuubi and Naruto were locked in a tickle war. The two noncombatants watched on, shouldering their disappointment with chuckles. The two on the ground looked up, grins on their faces.

"How's it going down there? Think you can tickle him to submission?" chimed Yuuki.

Kyuubi looked back down at Naruto, who was doing his best to look defiant. "I think I can manage that".

"No he can't!" protested Naruto.

"Please I'd have you laughing till you forget your name" said Kyuubi, pretending to clean his nails as he railed the young boy up. Naruto didn't say anything he just pounced on Kyuubi, his hands lashing out like weapons. Kyuubi let him try, having mastered hiding his emotions eons ago. When Naruto grew tired of trying to tickle the man, he gave up with his shoulders slumped.

"It was a valiant try kit" said Kyuubi, ruffling his hair before standing up.

"Shall we continue breakfast then?" said Seras; her red eyes alight with joy. The two males joined them at the breakfast table and tried the whole process all over again. They were able to finish eating without much of a fuss, a few retorts here and there, nothing serious. Oh yes, Naruto ended up having juice come out his nose because he couldn't control his laughter and Yuuki almost choked on her laughter. Minor things no?

Finally it was time for Naruto to leave. The three occupants of the cottage waved him off before getting back to their regular routine. Kyuubi grinned back at Yuuki.

"You've been missing a lot of your lessons little missy".

Yuuki gulped. This couldn't be good, not at all.

**

* * *

Scene Skip**

Naruto ran back towards the village, a true smile playing on his lips. The day was starting off wonderfully, he had a full stomach; a rarity when it came to him and the birds were singing. Upon reaching the village gates Naruto motioned for the gatemen to open the gate for him. They didn't, rather they glared at him.

"And where are you coming from?" asked one, a suspicious glint in his eyes. Naruto felt trapped, like they were just waiting for him to say something they could punish him for. His cheek flared in annoyance. "What's that got to do with anything? You're the gatemen right, you're supposed to open the gate for citizens not harass them!"

"Oh looky here he's learned a few words. Tell us brat who taught you those words? Where are you coming from?" said the second gateman.

Naruto stared at them, were they serious! Did they plan to lock him out of the village for just visiting a friend? Naruto bent his head, hiding the anger in his blue eyes and clenched his fists at his sides. Why the hell did they always treat him like this? Shaking his head he looked back at them. "I was visiting a friend" he barked, challenging them to say anything else to upset him.

"Oh good one, 'I was just visiting a friend' we all know you have no true friends idiot!"

Naruto's eyes widened, yes the gatemen were always mean but they'd never been this damn rude before. He took a closer look at their faces. So that was it, they weren't the same gateman he was used to. These guys were different. The one to the right was outright fat, with a large beard and the one to his right was as skinny as a twig. Naruto supposed the fat one choose to pair up with the other one to make his weight flattering compared to the stick of a man.

"Screw you fatty!"

The fat one puffed up, "What did you just say!"

Naruto smirked, "Are you deaf as well as fatty? What you been eating whole chickens?"

The gateman men charged at him and Naruto's heart sank. He was still a kid; he wouldn't be able to win against them both. He dodged the first punch by the fat man and jumped back from a low kick given by the stick-man. The fat man was expecting this though and grabbed him by his hair, lifting him up till his feet dangled several feet off the ground. Naruto struggled with the man's grip, trying to pry himself free. The fatty finger's were like sausages made of lead.

"Let go of me!" he cried.

"Or what? You can't do anything gaki" leered the fat man, he was clearly enjoying this. His skinny partner was standing straight once more, a grin on his face as well. He moved forward to punch the defenseless boy but Naruto kicked out, landing a hit to his nose. The man reeled back, clutching his nose, screaming. His fat partner dropped Naruto to go check on him. Naruto didn't wait to see what they'd do to him after that, he ran straight for the forest. He could hear the fat one calling after him, his voice riddled with rage.

Naruto didn't know where to go, there was only one place he knew in this forest that was safe. He ran back to Yuuki's cottage. He hammed away at the door with tears streaming down his face.

**

* * *

Scene Skip**

Yuuki had just been going through a torturous walking lesson when the knock on the door came. She frowned, knowing neither her nor Kyuubi were expecting anyone. She slowly walked to the door, the books on her head wobbling. Kyuubi had said the lesson was about getting her to focus on something other than her legs while she tried to walk. She focused on the books alright; they hurt like a bitch whenever they fell on her feet. They'd fallen three times now out of five tries.

"Who is it?" she asked pleasantly, her expression was anything but pleasant.

"It's me!" called an all too familiar voice. Yuuki frowned, Naruto's voiced sounded strange, strained as if he'd just run from the jaws of hell. She opened the door and sure enough it looked like he had. His hair was in disarray, probably tussled by the wind as he'd been running. He was out of breath and his cheeks were red for more than one reason. Yuuki mutely stepped aside, her legs suddenly wobbly. Naruto didn't say anything about her standing, she'd seen the shock in his eyes but still he said nothing. She was grateful, he'd give them both time to explain their current situation.

"What happened?" said Seras; she'd been reading a romance novel when the knock had come. She rushed over to Naruto, taking him into her arms and wiping away his tears. Her cold hands were a salve to his bruised cheeks, Naruto leaned into them. He didn't know why Seras was always so cold but right now he didn't care. His mind was still reeling.

They finally got him to seat down on the couch while Seras went to go get the first aid kit and some ice. Kyuubi stood in front of the boy, his red eyes narrowed and a deep frown on his handsome face. He looked pissed.

"What happened Naruto?"

Naruto didn't look at his eyes, he stared at his lap. "The gatemen, they were bullying me. The fat one punched me. I got a kick in on the skinny one".

Yuuki kneeled in front of him, "Why! They had no right to do that!" she yelled, her anger rising as well. She looked to Kyuubi but the man stood motionless, silent as a grave. His demeanor chilled Yuuki to the bone. He was planning something, something horrible for those gatemen. Yuuki had to stop this or it would be a blood bath before the day was out. Kyuubi took great offense to anyone that hurt anyone under his protection. Naruto was under his protection from the moment he met Yuuki and became her friend.

Those foolish villagers, Yuuki wasn't above dancing in their blood right now either but she knew that wouldn't bode well for them when Sarutobi came for explanations. Her mind moved in circles on how to deal with the fools. Finally a wicked grin appeared on her face, she knew the perfect way to deal with them. They'd rue the day they touched her past-self.

"Naruto how would you like a bit of payback on your part?" she asked in a sly voice. Naruto looked up to meet her eyes and the moment he did he knew he'd come to the right place. These people cared for him and they'd be sure to get those bastards back. He nodded his head, the ache on his cheek decreasing. For one he was glad he was such a fast healer, even if it made him seem weird to the other kids. Yuuki didn't seem to care.

"So since when could you walk?" asked Naruto, the image of her standing on her won hadn't left his mind. Yuuki winced, as if caught red handed in the cookie jar. "Naruto you remember when I told you my paralysis was only temporary. Well I can walk now but it's only for a bit. My legs aren't fully strong yet and I constantly have to order them to move. It's going to take some practicing to get them to walk normally like you do. That's what I was doing just now, practicing".

"Okay" Naruto nodded, that made sense. He smiled at Yuuki, wincing when his cheeks stung him, reminding him he wasn't fully healed yet. Yuuki saw this and giggled.

"So how are we going to get them back?" asked Naruto, eager to see what Yuuki had cooked up in that little angelic head of hers. He'd learned the girl could be quite devilish when provoked. The mischievous look in her eyes sparked, as if confirming his beliefs.

"Well how would you like to destroy their credibility as guards in front of the Sandaime?"

Kyuubi and Naruto grinned, that did sound wicked. "We're listening".

"Well we'll wait for nightfall, to heighten the panic. Seras we're going to need you in on this" said Yuuki, already drawing out the plan on paper for the others. Seras didn't seem to mind; rather her eyes were glowing with excitement.

"Finally something interesting to do other than watch you stumble and fall on your ass. Too bad Naruto had to be the one to get the shiner for it to happen but no worries you're still handsome".

Naruto reddened and Yuuki glared. Kyuubi laughed at her expense with relish. She gave one last command to her legs. A swift kick to his shin brought the demon lord to his knees beside her. Now it was Yuuki's turn to smirk, oh yes she couldn't wait to gain full control of her legs again. That had felt good, real good.

So they planned and got the equipment ready and waited till nightfall.

**

* * *

Scene Skip**

"Everyone in position" whispered Yuuki through the intercom. She was seated in her wheelchair, a hood over her head, casting a shadow on her face and her pale blonde hair leaking out of the hood. She was dressed in all white, making her pale skin appear eerie and ghostly. She breathed in slowly, listening and trying to slow down her heartbeat. She'd found out that as a half-breed she could do this.

"We're ready?" came three familiar voices, each stationed somewhere in the forest. Yuuki nodded, it was her turn. She knew the two guards that had harassed Naruto. Hotaka and Isamu; two gullible and useless ninjas with peas for brains. They had no wives and were notorious drinkers; Yuuki was hoping that would help her case today. She wheeled her wheelchair over to the gates, as expected they'd been drinking judging by the red blush on their cheeks. They didn't even notice her until she was right in front of them, another plus for her plan.

"Who goes there?" said Isamu, the skinny one with the crooked nose. He held the lamp higher, the light shining on her and heightening her supernatural glow. Yuuki exhaled, using chakra to make it come out as mist. The two gateman obviously paled, Isamu's hold on the lantern became shaky. Hotaka, the fat one with more bronze than brains took charge.

"Who the hell are you?"

Cursing in the presence of a child, Yuuki tsked. She lifted her left arm from the chair arm, slowly, almost dramatically slow. Isamu squealed and stepped back. That was Kyuubi's queue to make the winds lash out and howl. The two gatemen were forcefully pushed back by the berserk winds, feeling its cold chill to their bones and hearing its wild howl. Yuuki smiled, knowing her prank was working. They were cowering now, shaking and muttering gibberish. Now for another push, she signaled for Seras to move.

The former police woman came out, also wearing white with fake blood plastered to her gown and face. She'd lengthened her claws and exposed her teeth, making animalistic noises. Yuuki knew she wouldn't have been able to pull of Seras part because she had a heartbeat and was warm to the touch. Seras however did not have either of these things and she watched her float towards the two gatemen, her gown bellowing. She touched Isamu first, using her vampiric speed to appear behind him with her hand to his throat. The man flinched from her cold touch, visibly gulping. Seras leaned in, as if to bit him but restrained herself at the last minute. Her point had been made though, she didn't need to breath and the Konoha shinobi was now assure of her inhumanity. Yuuki watched him turn into a sickly white, His partner cowering even more just because of his reaction.

Seras moved over to the fat man next, doing the same to him. Yuuki could see their imagination run wild. Good, let the fear sink deep into their bones. Next she called for Naruto to begin his part. His part of the prank was simple; he just had to run around in the forest, making the noise audible for the guards. They'd look towards the forest and see nothing because the foliage was thick and Naruto so small. It'd make their imagination run wilder. Yuuki felt her heart warm with joy as the men began to wipe, shaking and pleading for their life. Her nose twitch, good lord one of them had lost control of their bladder. Yuuki decided they'd done enough. She gave the final signal, lifting the hood slightly so her red eyes showed, Seras following her example and Kyuubi making his red eyes glow in the darkness. That was all it took for the two men to lose it completely, they fainted, their mouths foaming from fear.

Yuuki nodded and Sera pressed the red alarm button to the left of the large gate. She rushed back to wheel Yuuki away, Kyuubi and Naruto in tow as they fled the crime scene. They held in their laughter until they were in the safety of the cottage but once the door was locked there was no stopping it. Naruto was laughing with his whole mouth, not caring one bit about the slight sting of his cheeks. Yuuki smiled, doing pranks as a kid had been fun in her past life but this was twice as fun with so many people involved.

"That was mighty wicked of you kit" said a chuckling Kyuubi, his sharp teeth flashing.

Yuuki grinned, "Why thank you, I can't take all the credit though Seras and Naruto did a pretty good job".

Seras and Naruto gave them mock bows, as though they'd just finished a splendid performance. They all busted out into new fits of laughter.

"But did you see the fat guy's eyes!" chirped Naruto, his dark mood eased.

Kyuubi and Yuuki nodded, shaking with laughter. "They were as big as light bulbs hahaha".

"Tell me about it hahaha" chuckled Seras. "I knew there was a reason I liked you two".

Yuuki nodded, planning a prank with her younger self had been so much fun. It had made the trip back in time so much more worth it. Doing things over wouldn't be so bad at all.

* * *

Alright end of the new chapter. I hoped you all liked it very much. Till next time. Please remember to review if possible.


	7. Chapter 7: It shall be orange

**Chapter ****７****: It shall be orange!**

_Flashback__: __Konoha_

_Naruto looked out the window, staring at the listless night as he thought of his life so far. He had to be one of the luckiest bastards in the world. No one had expected him to grew into anything big; no one but Sarutobi and yet here he was. He'd become the most powerful ninja Konoha had to spare and he was married to one of the most beautiful flowers Konoha had to offer. Looking toward the bed he saw her, curled up, unconsciously twisting the comforters around herself. He stood up and left the lonely window post; why stay there when he could cuddle with one of the most incredible women in the world. Grinning he walked over to the bed and laid next to her, spooning her frame to fit his. _

_Hinata stirred but she was too tired to really wake up. Naruto smiled at that too, happy to have been able to satisfy her so well. Sturdy hands ran through Hinata's hair, playing with the long raven strands. He could remember when it had been shorter but truth be told the length of her hair had never mattered to him. It could never hide those beautiful eyes of hers. He allowed his hands to trail over her skin, enjoying the smooth creamy feel. The moonlight made her glow, her skin contrasting with her luscious black hair. Naruto couldn't be happier. _

"_I love you, you know that?"_

_Even in her sleep she smiled, like she could feel the reassurance of those words. He'd say them to her everyday if it would keep her so close to him. He frowned, if only his enemies could help him keep his promises. He'd have to be leaving for the forefront once more. He hated leaving Hinata alone. Sure, there were the village shinobi and Shizuna to take care of her but it wasn't the same. He didn't know how to explain it but he felt much more confident when it was him taking the dagger for his beloved. Naruto sighed, why hadn't he killed Sasuke when he had the chance when they had been much younger? _

_At the valley of the end he'd been strong enough but the will hadn't been there. He'd seen Sasuke as a brother of sorts; he'd thought he could get through his thickhead. Sometimes there were some things that couldn't saved, he hadn't known that then. What he hated most was that somewhere deep down he still felt that way. He was endangering his loved ones each time he held back a punch. It made him feel so dirty and ridden with guilt. One thing he'd decided without a doubt was that he would not stake Hinata's life to save that prick. The boy felt smart enough to take the turns he had and Naruto sure as hell wasn't sacrificing the one thing right in his messed up life for the idiot. Consc__ience__. That could take a hick where Hinata's safety was concerned._

"_Naurto…" mumbled Hinata, too sleepy and her words coming out in slurs. Naruto laughed, her voice instantly lifting him from the darker parts of his thoughts. He wrapped his arms tighter around her; his precious jewel. "Sing to me love. I love the sound of your voice"._

_Hinata blushed but she didn't object when he sealed their night with a kiss. She felt her body burn with such need for this man. _

_End of Flashback_

* * *

Yuuki woke up with a warm feeling bubbling in her gut. She missed Hinata's company, so much so it felt like she'd lost a part of her. She hadn't even thought of how she'd approach her old friends. Whatever she decided to do she knew one thing, she couldn't upstage her past self. She couldn't steal his thunder so to speak because the rookie nine's loyalty was meant for him alone. Maybe she'd gain new friends of her own. Still she'd watch over her former friends from the shadows.

"Thinking pretty deep there. Penny for your thoughts?"

Yuuki turned towards Seras, puzzled. "What?"

Sera sat up and stretched, not missing a beat. "It's an old saying from my time".

Yuuki nodded, getting up to walk to the bathroom. She'd made it her duty to always walk to the bathroom herself, strengthening her legs and taking care of things herself. Yuuki had never been one to let others baby her. She'd been through a rough life and suddenly switching to the extreme end of the spectrum to being cuddled wasn't going to happen. She looked at the mirror, noting her eyes were blue today. She still hadn't mastered the change that came over her irises when her emotions were high. Kyuubi said they'd work on it later; their first priority was getting her to walk properly and stay that way.

"So did you have a nice dream? You kept on whispering 'Hinata'" said Sera as she began to brush beside Yuuki. She didn't need to, something about the vampire venom burning through any germs. Still Seras said she did it to feel normal. Yuuki could understand that. Even in her past life she'd had special abilities that made her different from the rest. She did her best to hide her strong sense of hearing, at times even pretended to be highly deaf to stick to the norm.

"Did I?" asked Yuuki, not exactly pleased about her new habit. Speaking in ones' sleep could lead to many situations she'd prefer to avoid. "Hinata's the heiress to the Hyuuga clan. In my past life she was my wife. I was dreaming of our time together before I went to war".

Seras nodded, she didn't say anything more and Yuuki was grateful for that. She was still confused about being a girl now and her feelings toward Hinata. Taking off her night gown she looked towards Seras. "Want to take a shower together?"

Seras smiled, "Sure, my mom and I used to do that all the time".

Yuuki smiled, other than Tsunade she'd never had anything really close to a Mother. She knew her biological mother was Kushina Uzumaki and she intended to find out as much as she could about the woman but the memories weren't there. Kushina had only lived long enough to hold her as a baby before dying. Yuuki had no memories of her, just a light lullaby that helped her sleep at night in the cold orphanage. For the longest time in her past life she'd gone on believing she was an unwanted child to dishonorable parents. The villagers had made her beliefs grow as she'd grown up but how relieved was she was she'd found out otherwise.

Sure she'd been mad about her father sealing Kyuubi in her but she wouldn't trade a thing because Kyuubi had been the one to see her through the hard parts of her life. She wished the Naruto of this time period could say the same for the Kyuubi within him. He doesn't even know that he's got a friend just waiting to be realized. Sighing Yuuki focused on scrubbing her small body with the sponge. She relaxed into Seras as she felt her bewitching fingers apply shampoo into her hair. She smiled, "I haven't had someone wash my hair for me in so long".

Seras smiled; pleased she could ease Yuuki's thoughts. She didn't know when but suddenly she could tell when Yuuki was uncomfortable or when she wasn't necessarily pleased. "So who used to do it before?"

Yuuki played with a few bubbles as she answered. "Hinata. We took shower together everyday when we were together. I grew my hair out just for her".

Seras nodded, she'd never really fallen in love before but Yuuki's past feelings and actions for her wife pleased her. Someday she wished she could find someone like that but it would be hard. It was rare for Vampire couples to be formed. Human love was so great because it was flitting, a hundred years or so and they'd be gone. That's not an eternity to learn all the bad things about your partner. Vampires usually just got used to having generational flings. It sounds like a long time but to them it isn't; more like a month of passion before the cold water comes.

"Seras have you ever cared about anyone in that way?" asked Yuuki, her eyes closed as they washed out her hair.

"No, but I would like to. Maybe in a few centuries I'll find someone like your Hinata" whispered Seras.

Yuuki nodded, "I hope so because when you do I know you'll be the happiest woman in the world. I hope I can live to see that day".

Seras grinned, "I'm sure you will. Kyuubi said you're harder to kill than a roach".

Yuuki laughed, "He said that did he, coming from the guy that turned back time so we wouldn't die. Who do you think is more resilient to death?"

Seras laughed as she reached over to turn off the water. She handed Yuuki a towel as she wrapped her own around herself. "You guys are so much fun to hang out with".

Yuuki gave her a foxy grin, "Then just wait till you see us when we're drunk, then again you might not want to…"

Seras stopped in mid motion, her bra string slightly hanging off her shoulders. "Why not?"

Yuuki rolled her eyes, "It takes several jugs of sake to get us drunk and when we **are**, we're happy drunks. We'd embarrass you in minutes and still keep going, there's no such thing as restraint with a drunk Kyuubi".

Seras laughed, "I wish I could say the same but Vampires never really get drunk. We can pretend to fit in but it's more of a choice with us".

Yuuki nodded, "Then you've just burdened yourself to be our chaperone".

Seras grinned, "No prob, back when I was in the police force in my world I always got stuck as the designated driver".

Yuuki turned back to her, still fixing her hair into an up-do with pins and chopsticks. "What's that?"

"It's like being the person to drive everyone else home cuz they're too drunk to even recognize a stop light" grumbled Seras, too focused on zipping up her black vest over her red tank-top. Yuuki nodded, she got the idea and it did sound bad.

"By the way you ready for the festival?" asked Seras as they made their way out of their room. Yuuki nodded, thinking back on all the festivals she'd missed before she'd married Hinata.

"Ohayou Yuuki-chan, Seras-san"

Yuuki and Seras turned to see Naruto waving at them from the breakfast table. He'd slept over today as well, not that anyone minded. Naruto had an innocence Yuuki could never recover with her adult mind. Looking at him she saw how different she'd become. He was like the sun and she'd grown to become the moon over time. Smiling she pulled up the seat beside him. "How's the cheek, think you'll be able to chew right now?"

Naruto's cheek was still slightly swollen but not so much as it should be if he were a normal human. He grinned at her question however. The question probably invoked the memory of what they'd done to the guards in exchange for his bruised cheek. "Hell yeah! I'm totally fine now".

Kyuubi tsked, "Watch the language Kit".

Naruto simmered down; no one had ever really bothered to honestly chasten him when it came to his language. No one had bothered to teach him manners either but Katsu had been trying to teach him for the past few days he'd been here. Sure it was annoying to be told to 'speak correctly or shut up' but even so, to see Katsu make the effort warmed his heart. These people really cared about who he grew up to be and that was saying more than anything the villagers had ever done. Naruto smiled, "I'm fine Yuuki-chan".

Yuuki smiled, she remembered how hard it had been to learn manner later on in life. This would really help Naruto later on when he had to deal with Hinata's clan. Acting like an ass in front of Hiashi never really went well. They got down to eating their pancakes, curtsy of Kyuubi the secret mast chief and talking about the festival. Yuuki didn't want to admit it but she was looking forward to it. It would be so much better if she could go without her wheelchair but Kyuubi had just got her started on crutches.

"I wanted Ojisan to come with us but he's too busy with all that paperwork. I don't know why he just doesn't get someone else to do it" grumbled Naruto.

Seras shook her head, "What if the person he picks orders something he doesn't like. Some times it's best to get things done yourself you know what I mean?"

Naruto thought about it and nodded, that did sound right. The rest of breakfast went by in a flash and soon they were headed into the village to see how they're prank had gone down.

First thing they noticed was that there were different guards at the gate. These ones weren't pleasant to deal with either but at least they had the sense to hide their distaste for Naruto from his new 'friends'. Yuuki and Kyuubi had their fists balled up so bad they almost cut into skin. Seras had been too busy giving the gatemen the middle finger to notice. No matter what world you were in curse words and rude gestures still remain the same. Naruto told them not to be bothered about it but it still rubbed them the wrong way.

They made their way towards a news stand, paying the little orphan boy twice the price for the newspaper out of kindness. The boy thanked them with a smile and teary eyes. They decided they'd read it in the safety of Naruto's apartment. Wouldn't want anyone wondering why they thought two 'upright' shinobi losing their jobs was funny. Besides Yuuki and Kyuubi knew the state in which they'd find Naruto's apartment. They were hoping they could use this as an opportunity to persuade him to stay with them in the cottage. They didn't need to tell Seras the plan; she'd offer the same invitation on instinct the moment she walked into that dump.

**

* * *

Scene skip, several minutes later**

"What the hell is this!" yelled Seras, forgetting her language as she stomped into Naruto's little rat-hole of an apartment. She took one look at the walls with the chipped paint and then at the empty fridge that obviously didn't work right. She began to shake in outrage; swiftly she turned and walked out of the apartment. Naruto didn't understand her outrage was for him and not at him so he slumped down by the wall. A defeated look in his eyes, so he'd lost another friend.

Yuuki and Kyuubi were about to go comfort and smooth out the misunderstanding when Seras surprised them. She stomped in carrying the landlord by his throat. She dropped him to the floor, non-too-gently. "Now tell me again why you think this room is good enough to live in, let alone give it to a child for such a ridiculous price!"

The man was too freaked out to talk. He was rather plump and the fact that Seras had lifted him up from his desk with such ease still hadn't registered. That and he was too busy gulping air for his starved lungs. Finally he noticed everyone within the room other than the Kyuubi brat were staring down at him with mean glares and rigid frowns.

"It was the only one fit for this thing!" he yelled, clearly not thinking.

Yuuki glared harder, she remembered this gutless, sniveling coward. Apart from being the worst landlord you could possibly have he was a drunk, like most of Konoha that survived Kyuubi's rampage. He was constantly asking for his rent early only to waste it on boozes. Lets not forget the little maggot always loved to give people a free all you can destroy tour of her apartment. Well maybe it wasn't necessarily free; Yuuki would have to pay him for the damages **he** allowed to happen. And people wonder why she was so skinny as a child in her past life. It was because of assholes like him stealing her money that she couldn't progress. Honestly she didn't feel bad about Seras rough handling him in the least.

"What are you doing?" asked Naruto, slightly panicked at what Seras was doing to his landlord. Seras snapped her attention back to him, the rage and bloodlust still lingering in those red pools. "Sorry about that Naruto-kun but I do believe he deserved that".

"Well yeah he did but he's still my landlord" said Naruto. Yuuki could see that he was scared of the consequences; she would have been too if she knew what he did.

"Naruto-kun I believe you should start calling him your ex-landlord" said Yuuki, her voice a bit cold as she glared at the disheveled man. Naruto looked at her as though she'd lost her mind.

"And why would I call him that! For Christ's sake Seras stop glaring at him like that, he might actually pee on himself" said Naruto though deep inside there was a part of him that was beyond pleased. Seras tried to stop glaring so hard but it was a futile attempt when she was so pissed. Naruto had a better chance of making a cripple run.

"Kit how would you like to stay with us from now on?" said Kyuubi, he'd been quiet for most of it but the pleased smile on his face said it all. He was glad about Seras' actions, probably would have inflicted them himself if she hadn't. Naruto looked at the three of them, tense and waiting for the punch line, the laughter but none came. They looked right back at him, their intentions sincere to the bone but still Naruto felt hesitant. It was like something was holding his tongue, forcing him to think before jumping at the chance like a fool. For one thing he didn't know how long this would last. In the past there had been people who'd been kind to him only to turn cold when they couldn't bear being excommunicated by the villagers. At times he wondered if this was just like that. Were they softening him up for the fall or would they honestly stick by him and risk being shunned as he was? Looking at Yuuki, Katsu and Seras' expectant faces he knew they would but that brought another question to light. Would he let them risk it, knowing the pain himself? Could he stand being Yuuki's only friend at the academy because the other kids wouldn't play with her while he was there? Naruto didn't think he could. They didn't need to walk through fire for him if he didn't give them the option in the first place.

"Um that's nice of you Katsu but I don't want to be a bother". He saw Yuuki and Seras deflate and he rushed in to appease them. "But how's this, why don't I just keep sleeping over for a while until I decide".

Kyuubi watched Naruto try to decide in silence, he could practically smell his self-sacrificial nature fighting to the forefront. He'd lived in Yuuki for several years after all, he knew all there was to know about both since they were one in the same. He could tell what the boy was thinking, no doubt about their social interests and what would be best for them. He could even sense a bit of doubt in Naruto's demeanor. The boy didn't fully trust them yet, a wise choice. One shouldn't trust strangers just because they offered you bread when you were hungry, be grateful; yes, trust; no. Still Kyuubi didn't pushed the matter, things would happen as time and fate dedicated. The boy _would_ learn to trust their sincere concerns someday; they'd just have to be patient.

"Okay kit but at least allow us to fix this place up" offered Kyuubi; he'd compromise if nothing else could be done. Yuuki grinned, happy to find Kyuubi had already thought of a way to better Naruto's life without the need to force him or manipulate him. "Yeah we'll totally turn this dump into a bachelor's pad for you. You won't even recognize it once we're done".

Naruto's deep blue eyes shone with excitement but that light dimmed as he thought of the usual raids on his apartment. He'd hate for them to go through all that trouble just for the stupid villagers to mess it up. He was about to decline when Yuuki spoke up again, this time to the forgotten Landlord who looked paler than before.

"You will give us the key to Naruto's apartment won't you? Oh and if anything should happen to this apartment or Naruto-kun under your roof we won't be happy. In fact I think Seras-san may have to come back here and play ping-pong with your head". Her eyes glowed a vicious red to show him just how serious she was. The landlord didn't dare dismiss the silent promise from those cold eyes. He looked toward Seras; sure enough the tall blonde woman was glaring at him and cracking her knuckles. The landlord lost all the color he had left.

"Of course! I'll have a set made for you right away and I assure you, no one will harm him!" he tried to smiled towards Naruto but Yuuki could see the twitching and clenching of his jaw. It had probably felt like he'd been spouting poison. Yuuki pretended to believe him however, she knew better but for Naruto's sake she faked acceptance. She knew better than to rely on such a weak minded man. The word of any man that could sell such a discrepant place to a child didn't mean much in her book. She looked towards Kyuubi, sure he felt the same. They would have to think of a way to protect Naruto's apartment themselves. It shouldn't be too hard with Kyuubi and her vast knowledge of seals combined. After a bit more rough housing of the man they sent him on his way with a kick to the rear. There was an uneasy silence as Seras slammed the door shut, her anger still not yet completely vanquished.

"So are we going to read about our success or threaten some more people?" teased Naruto, suddenly very self-conscious of his small abode. Yuuki grinned, "What? You got a list or something?"

To this his face reddened, he hadn't meant any of it literally. When Yuuki said stuff like that she reminded him of Katsu. "Nah no list, just fishing for something to do"

The other three smiled. Seras began to walk around, inspecting the place like she would a crime scene. Occasionally she'd shake her head in dismay or grumble about something. After five minutes she'd had all she could take. "Naruto-kun I don't care what you say, we're taking all this junk out this instant and getting you some new things. Keep anything you consider precious but the rest has got to go".

Naruto stared at her, just stared as though she'd just spoken a different language and his brain was taking time to translate. Seras stood firm. Her black stylish sandals not so much as moving an inch as she stared him down as well. Her stiff posture dared him to object. Yuuki and Kyuubi watched the silent interaction; both knowing Naruto had no chance of winning. For one thing he was too energetic to stand perfectly stiff; Yuuki could already see him twitching. For another thing Seras had an unfair advantage. Being a Vampire she could choose to stand like that till the cows came home and she still wouldn't move an inch. Naruto's little rebellion was doomed from the start.

He probably guessed as much because he went for an old bowl in the cabinet, picked a few scrolls and a small toy figure. Yuuki knew those were precious to her past self. The scrolls had been given to him by Sarutobi as a gift to be prepared for the academy. The old bowl was his first bowl at Ichiraku's ramen stand, his first adult friends. The toy figure had been given to him by Shikamaru (people do not start with me. I either get it right or I don't). He'd given it to him when Naruto had commented on how cool his toys were. That one toy was proof of his first bond. Yuuki smiled, offering him a box to put the treasured items in.

Seras nodded, "Yosh! Lets start clearing these pieces of junk out of here?"

Naruto feigned pain, "Hey that's my junk you're talking about. Be more sensitive".

Seras rolled her eyes, "Sorry Princess, I'll be kinder to your jacked up couch".

Naruto's cheeks puffed out but he and the rest were soon reduced to laughter, no harm done. They began their work on a merry note. Yuuki of course couldn't help with the heavy stuff but she did try to take care of the rest. Fifteen minutes later they were done. Seras plumped down on the floor, pretending to be exhausted for Naruto's sake. It would look weird if she didn't since she'd carried both the messed up couch and that patchwork of a bed. Midway through the clean up Kyuubi had disappeared. Yuuki and Seras had cracked a few jokes on his manhood as well as his age to ease Naruto's worries. He arrived soon after, when all of the cleaning was almost done. He had an all too pleased look on his face and a set of three spare keys.

"How'd you get him to make them so quickly?" asked Naruto, shocked that his lazy landlord could ever lift a finger for anyone.

Kyuubi tsked, "Trade secret sonny, can't give 'em all away".

Light blue eyes rolled but his merry grin wasn't lost to the others.

"So now that we're done clearing out the place lets start the restoration!" chirped Yuuki, a storage scroll in her hands. "Katsu if you'd do the honors".

"Sure thing kit, oh and if I do this you have to paint standing" said Kyuubi, trying to keep the training on her legs going. Yuuki growled but she didn't protest beyond that. Kyuubi brought his thumb to his lips, biting down and drawing blood. Yuuki suddenly felt something stir in her bowels; she ignored it, not sure if she wanted to investigate the strange event. Smearing the blood on the scroll, Kyuubi summoned the items within it.

Naruto marveled as cans of paint appeared from seemingly nowhere. "You've got to teach me how to do that!"

"All in good time my dear grasshopper" Kyuubi pretended to add age to his voice. Yuuki promptly wheeled herself over and kicked him in the knee. Kyuubi bit his lower lip. "One of these days I'm going to kick back, say like when you can walk which will be real soon".

Yuuki gulped, suddenly rethinking making Kyuubi her new assault bag. Naruto and Seras laughed at her but were quick to look elsewhere when her glare settled on them.

"So now that the place is cleaned up, lets start painting!" Seras was practically glowing, making her image even more dazzling to the eyes. Yuuki turned to Naruto, "Naruto-kun what color do you want your room to be?"

Naruto thought about it, honestly thought about it but all he could come up with was orange. No surprise there, if he could he'd probably turn orange. It was such a positive color. Yuuki rolled her eyes at his answer. Sometimes despite his reputation as the world's most unpredictable ninja he was very predictable.

"Fine, the background will be orange but I've got dibs on the design".

Seras paused, "That's so no fair but I'm not gonna say anything".

"You just did" said Yuuki, already opening the black paint.

"Whatever, let's just start painting. The sooner these walls are anything but this boring white the better my mood will be" said Seras, rushing for the red and childishly sticking out her tongue to an annoyed Kyuubi. Moving back with his hands raised in surrender he went for the blue instead.

"So what's the plan Yuuki?" asked Naruto, getting the base paint of orange on the wall first. The blonde quickly dropped her paint and sketched out a rough draft of her idea, passing it to the others when she was done. They marveled over the simple yet intricate design of abstract wavy arrows traveling along the walls. Kyuubi grinned, "Looks like I've got a little artist on my hands".

Yuuki blushed, lowering her head to hide her burning cheeks. Naruto gaped, "I didn't know you could draw this well Yuuki-chan, you sure you want to be a ninja? I mean being a ninja is like kickass but being an artist isn't so bad you know".

Yuuki shook her head, "It's just a hobby, besides I'm sure you can draw too".

Naruto denied having an artistic bone in his body but Yuuki knew the truth. Ten years from now Naruto would look to art for relaxation and meditation not to mention creating new seals. Her design was an orange wall with graphics arrows running along the horizon line in opposite directions. She'd made sure to consider everyone's colors and made sure they blended well with the overall design. The arrows sort of looked like a fiery vine like growth, spreading across the walls, dominating the orange. Since Naruto approved they got to work with the base coating first, everyone grabbing a brush and taking a dip in the orange paint first.

As the painting went along mysterious droplets of paint would get on Yuuki and Naruto. While one would sum it up as an accident and tag it up there with the hassles of painting Yuuki had a different idea. Kyuubi looked far too happy about something and he was the closest to them so they decided to get even. Sure they were smaller in comparison to Kyuubi but that didn't mean they couldn't get their revenge. Kyuubi's pants sure were stylish today, wonder how they'd look in orange.

They continued to paint, occasionally feigning an upper stroke only to make contact with Kyuubi's pants. The small paint battle soon grew worse, the attacks became more subtle and at times they were forced to think a bit to decide who'd just given them an orange nose. At first Naruto, Yuuki and Kyuubi were sure they were the only ones attacking each other with paint but then they'd find their elbows painted orange with none of them to blame. Yuuki had a feeling Seras was in and she was using her vampric speed as a leg up on them. Still the silent paint-wars continued until the walls were all painted orange.

It'd taken three hours and for once Yuuki was glad Naruto's apartment was so small. Any longer and she was sure she'd be showcasing orange skin for the festival. With the base color done they decided to take a break until the paint dried. Since they'd thrown out all the furniture they had to settle to seat or lying on the floor. For the first time since they began painting Naruto took a good look at his companions. At first he felt it bubbling in his stomach, and then gradually rising to his throat until he couldn't keep it in. He busted out laughing at their expense.

Yuuki scowled, "What are you laughing at?"

"You're all orange!" he cried, tears gathering at his lashes from laughing so hard. Yuuki's scowl deepened, she'd better not look like some human orange or she'd kill one of them. Preferably the one laughing at the moment. Still Naruto had ever right to laugh, out of all of them she had the worst case of a paint job. "That's low, sure go after the girl that can't dodge!"

Seras and Kyuubi laughed, "What can I say, a target is a target. Just look at Naruto, he made a fine target if you asked me" said Kyuubi.

Now it was Naruto's turn to evaluate himself and sure enough he could pass as the second human orange crayola in the room. He crossed his arms and pouted. "It's just cuz you're unnaturally tall".

Once again Kyuubi laughed at him, "Aw don't worry my dear little midgets the day will come when you can see past my shoulder".

The two blonde kids growled and launched themselves at him like wraiths, ready to defend their honor. Together they attempted to tickle him to submission and he let them try. Kyuubi made sure to laugh at them when their attempts came up short, resulting in their glum faces. "Aw you're a bit too young to try to tickle me; bit if it's any consolation your disappointed faces bring laughter to my heart".

"Just you wait you old timer, someday you'll let down your guard and that day all of Konoha will hear your pleas for mercy as we make you laugh out your guts!" swore Yuuki, determination flaring in her blue eyes.

Kyuubi waved her off. "Yeah sure, make it this decade please some of us might kick the bucket. I'll be waiting forever but just so you know for my time I'm charging an attempt fee for each year".

"Greedy-pig!" screamed the kids.

Kyuubi unplugged his ears, "Really now you two make the deaf thankful to be so and the rest of us poor folks wishing for the loss of our hearing".

Naruto's face grew bright red as he reflexively clamped his hand over his mouth. Seras and Yuuki laughed. Yeah Naruto was cute some times.

"Well if you're done raising the dead lets all take turns cleaning this paint off us before we tackle the second layer" said Kyuubi, already heading for the bathroom. The others waited and took their turns, the best they could do was get the paint off their faces but their clothes were another matter. Grudgingly everyone reached for their appointed paint buckets, Kyuubi still trying to reach for the red but thinking better of it when Seras smacked away his hand and literally hissed like a cat.

"Wait the paint isn't dry yet" warned Naruto, remembering seeing one of his neighbors paint their fence. The man hadn't touched it for an hour before going back with the next coat.

Kyuubi turned to the boy, his eyes narrowed with scrutiny. "And why would they be wet?"

"Paint can't dry in twenty minutes, it's not that fast" countered Naruto, absolutely sure he was right.

Kyuubi's whole aura seemed to change, his expression glowing as he held his paint bucket close to his cheek. "Normal paint wouldn't dry but what do you take me for! I am the great Ky-Katsu" with a slight cough there, "My paint goes beyond the expectations of other brands!"

It was pretty funny to see just how narcissistic Kyuubi could get but Yuuki and Seras opted for getting back to the job at hand. Naruto on the other hand would just have to get used to Kyuubi being a drama queen. For most of the day they worked on the walls and getting the design done. Of course the paint war was restarted by a flick from Kyuubi to Yuuki. At the end of the whole fun affair Kyuubi was declared the unofficial winner since everyone else could be mistaken for smurfs. Yuuki on the other hand was concluded a sore loser.

By the time they'd finished repainting Naruto's apartment it was late. Yuuki flopped on to the floor, exhausted from standing on her legs for so long unsupported. Still she was pleased, glad to see her old apartment look so cool, not to mention she'd exceed her pervious time limit on her legs. Naruto dropped beside her, not even having the strength to slap away her finger when she started poking his cheek.

"Hey is it just me or is it noisy outside?" asked Seras, spread out on the floor with a satisfied smirk on her face.

No, it wasn't just her, Yuuki could hear the drums too and the music. Unthinking she bolted up. "The festival!"

Naruto jumped to his feet beside her, "You're right. We must have painted most of the day away. They've already started without us".

"I hardly think they'd need our permission to start their festival Naruto-kun" dryly said Seras, though she wasn't pleased to have forgotten something so important.

"Well" said Kyuubi, getting to his feet. "I say we get back to the cottage and get dressed. All in favor run for door"

Yuuki had the pleasure of watching Seras, Naruto and Kyuubi squirm against each other. Realizing the door wasn't getting any wider they stepped back and tried again. This time they exited one at a time.

"And I thought my family was smart" muttered Yuuki.

* * *

Okay chapter ends here. Hope you liked it. Please review, keeps the story going and see ya later.


	8. Chapter 8: Summer festival

Once again sorry for the late chapter, life hit me on the head along with reluctance, a bad combination for any writer. Besides I just found the great book series ever written. Well here's to hoping you all enjoy this. I think you will, you've been waiting for it long enough.

_Found something sweet on the island with daughters of Eve  
But through thick and thin they've gone away  
And only left their grief_

_Oh, something's missing in me  
I felt it deep within me as lovers left me to bleed alone  
Something's missing in me  
I felt it deep within me as lovers left me to bleed alone_

"_**missing" by Flyleaf**_

* * *

Chapter 8: Natsumatsuri (summer festival).

It was a surreal sight for Yuuki to see Konoha so lively again. It'd almost brought tears to her eyes as Seras wheeled her past the laughing villagers. They made it back to the cottage in top speed, only stopping to get their papers verified by the gate guards. It was utter chaos as they all tried to get dressed. Kyuubi and Naruto rushed to his room while Seras and Yuuki headed for theirs. Quickly they grabbed at their yukatas laid out on the bed, curtsy of Kyuubi who'd bought them for the festival. Taking quick showers to get all the paint off them, they began to dress. Seras was having a bit of trouble tying her obi, not exactly used to eastern clothing. Yuuki saw this, having already put on her yukata and was battling with her long hair.

"Here lets trade. I'll help you with your Obi if you help me with my hair" offered Yuuki, her hands flopping to her sides. There were just some battles you had to lose. Apparently her hair was a demon of its own.

Smiling Seras nodded, standing still while Yuuki adjusted her belt. Yuuki stepped back to look at her work for a bit, taking in the beauty of the yukata itself. It was a dark shade of blue, designed with images of white swallows at the bottom, the obi was gold.

"Geez Kyuubi just had to go and get the best now didn't he" teased Yuuki.

Seras chuckled, "Your kimono isn't half bad either. I like the violet; it works with your light hair".

Yuuki turned around, examining her yukata herself. It was pretty too, made of purple fabric with a white obi and images of flowers. Without thought she sat down and let Seras style her hair into an up-do with fancy pins. "Yeah it's nice. I guess we should thank Kyuubi when we see him, by the way I wonder how he and Naruto are doing?"

Seras laughed, "Why don't we go find out?"

"Hehe, yes lets" said Yuuki getting into her wheelchair because Kyuubi wasn't taking any chances with her legs giving out on her after the whole painting adventure. She sat back and let Seras wheel her back to the living room; Kyuubi and Naruto were already waiting for her. Yuuki grinned, so Kyuubi had got Naruto to groom his hair a bit. "Hey there, looking good people".

She meant it, with Naruto's spiky hair relatively tamed he looked quite dashing; the nice yukata was only another plus. Kyuubi…well Kyuubi always looked nice, it didn't matter whether it was a jumpsuit or yukata the man could dress. His black yukata was a nice touch though, especially the red lotus designs.

Kyuubi and Naruto returned her grin. "I could say the same myself. Now I'm going to have to watch you two 24/7 so no idiots try anything fishy".

The girls laughed, "Whatever you say, how about we join the party before it's over".

Kyuubi shook his head, "You ladies are too impatient".

Still they did head back into the village. With their festival clothes on the guards were kind enough not to make the inspection take too long. Once in it was like being in an entirely different dimension. The streets were bustling with people, going to and fro, checking out the stands and chatting with friends. Seras lowered her head to whisper in Yuuki's ear. "Don't get lost now. My blood tie to you is still not strong enough to find you with so many heartbeats breaking my concentration".

"How about we split up? We the grown ups will be over there" said Kyuubi, pointing towards the bars and sumo wrestling ring. Yuuki raised an eyebrow to this but let it go. "You kids can go have fun. Naruto I'm leaving Yuuki in your care for now. Watch her closely, don't let any of these brats try anything or I'll skin you when we get back to the cottage".

Naruto visibly paled but the grin on Kyuubi's face seemed to lighten the threat enough for him to breath again. Yuuki shook her head, "Come on Naruto-kun lets go have some fun. I really want to try out the goldfish scooping game!"

"What you good at it or something? Still I'm surprised you remembered" said Naruto surprised she mentioned the game. He hadn't forgotten it was the first thing they promised to play when the festival came around.

Yuuki gave him a foxy grin, "Hey who says you're the only one that remembers promises".

"Well come on lets see if we can get you a new pet!" cheered Naruto, now totally excited about this outing. He wheeled her about two feet before stopping. "Wait don't you need your shades. You were wearing them earlier".

Yuuki waved off his concern, "Nah, I only need them when the sun's out. The sun is too bright for my eyes you see, that's why I need them".

"Oh" said Naruto, having wondered a bit about Yuuki's bloodlimit. They headed over to the goldfish game, noting that there was already a crowd. "Whoa I didn't know this game was so popular".

"You bet it is, I count we're about the tenth people in line".

Naruto began to fidget; the thought of standing there for some time until the other people were done wasn't interesting to him. If there was one thing he knew about himself without asking was that he got bored fast. Yuuki looked over her shoulder, the horrified look on Naruto's face was comical but she held her peace. Instead she tapped his hand to get his attention. "Why don't we visit the other games and then come back and try again".

"But we sort of promised to play this game first" said Naruto, a bit troubled to have to break a promise to his friend.

Yuuki scrunched up her nose a bit, thinking of a way go about it without breaking their promise. "How about this, we won't play any of the other games. We'll just look around and watch other people play, you know try to know which one's good before we play it. We wouldn't be breaking the promise then!"

His blue eyes practically lit up with gratitude. Even this early in her life Yuuki knew how important promises were to Naruto. "How about the Karaoke contest over there?" she suggested.

But Naruto wasn't listening; his eyes were glued to something on the opposite side of the game stand. Yuuki followed his train of vision only to see something that invoked far too many emotions in her little body. For some reason she felt confused at seeing the Uchiha brothers together at the festival. It was a totally normal thing for two brothers to go to a festival together. If Yuuki weren't from the future, with haunting memories of the two maybe she wouldn't have blinked at the sight but since she was, she did blink. In fact she blinked a couple of times to make sure she wasn't seeing things since lately her eyes have been hot-spots for incidents. Maybe the paint had messed with her brain or something and she was slightly high.

But no that wasn't the case, she must have blinked her eyes three times and yet the two were still there. They were at a shuriken throwing game stand. The innocent smile on little Sasuke's face was so uncharacteristic she nearly fell out her chair expecting the sky to fall. They two were together, seeming to be completely at ease with each other's company. Most may not notice it but the slight upward quirk of Itachi's lip told her he was enjoying his younger brother's antics. How could they get along so well when all throughout Yuuki's memory they'd been on the other end of each other's sword? It was kind of scary to see them act so normal around each other.

When her confusion passed and do trust that took some time another emotion set in; anger. Suddenly she felt every fiber of her being bunch up, just ready to tear Sasuke apart for all he'd cost her in her time. She felt her small hands seize the handles of her wheelchair, her claws digging into the leather. She must have been giving off some killer intent; she had to have been because Itachi's sharp red eyes landed on her, his sharigans spinning. Yuuki was frozen as his red eyes passed over her body, reading everything. Yuuki felt her breath hitch, how could she possible express what she was feeling; explain it so he may understand where the malice was coming from. The Sasuke from the future had taken everything from her. How do you tell someone their younger brother is going to grow into a monster that will destroy everything and everyone? You can't…you don't.

With visible effort Yuuki tried to gain control of her feelings, looking for good and finding it in Sasuke's unguarded pout at Itachi. The way he got annoyed at his older brother's attention being directed away from him, it was so childish. Yes, that was it. This Sasuke was a child, the Uchiha massacre is yet to come, there's still some time to save him from himself. Suddenly a huge wave of relief washed over Yuuki, she wasn't expecting it but she was glad for it. Naruto was waving at Sasuke who'd finally noticed them. By the time the Uchiha brother's came over to join them Yuuki had been able to visibly relax. Itachi's searching eyes weren't off her yet but it was enough, he wouldn't press what he felt. He'd simply study her; something Yuuki didn't want but knew couldn't be avoided. What could she say; she'd brought it on herself with that open display of hostility.

Still as she watched Sasuke greet Naruto with an arrogant grin and simply 'hey' she couldn't help but smile. Sure most of her recent memories of Sasuke were horrible but deep down; really deep she could still remember the good times in team seven. During the mission in waves Sasuke had shielded his best friend without a second thought. He'd indulged Sakura and softened his rejects towards her. Hell even the D rank missions of searching for Tora had been fun. Thinking of these things made Yuuki's heavy heart feel lighter. Things wouldn't be the same this time around, things were already changing hopefully she knew what she was doing instinctively since her brain had no clue.

The Uchiha massacre needed to be stopped, how she wasn't sure but she had Seras and Kyuubi to help her plan that out.

"Earth to Yuuki!" called Naruto, waving his hand in front of her face a couple times. "You still with me? I was just trying to introduce you to Sasuke and his older brother Itachi Uchiha"

That snapped her back to the present; she made sure to whack Naruto before introducing herself. Smiling she said, "Hey my name is Yuuki Helena Hellsing, it's nice to meet you both".

The two brothers pause and bowed in return, giving greetings of their own.

"Geez why'd you have to hit me, you're the one too busy oogling Itachi to pay attention to the rest of us" whined Naruto.

Yuuki felt the heat rush to her cheeks; if she could she'd strangle her past self. Giving an awkward smile in hopes to let the embarrassing misunderstanding slide by she turned towards Sasuke. For some reason she was unable to bring herself to look into Itachi's eyes right now, hell she didn't even want to know his reaction to Naruto's little comment. "So Sasuke did you get the prize?".

Little Sasuke gave her one of those his aggravating smirks, imperfect since he still had some years to perfect it but still annoying never the less. Yuuki was beinging to see his little facial expression were imitations of itachi's. Sasuke must have thought he was a demi-god back then, really how impressions change. She looked towards his hands to see what prize he'd gotten. Without thought her blue eyes snapped onto the kunai wrapped around his little fingers. It was blunt, honestly there was no reason for her to feel threaten but suddenly Yuuki found herself on full alert. Her blue eyes began to bleed into red and her form became tense as did Itachi's.

While Sasuke and Naruto chatted away about his kunai training Itachi had noticed the change in her demeanor. Her reactions puzzled him but more than that they made him very suspicious of her intentions towards his kid brother. Yuuki felt the prescience of his eyes boring into the back of her bent head. Slowly she tried to gain control of herself again. Really this was getting ridicules, would she jump or tense up each time she saw Sasuke with something sharp. Somehow she just knew the academy years would be hell. Constantly having to switch off alert mode would be both tiring and annoying. Once she was fully composed she raised her head once more, taking a quick glance at his other hand for the prize. It was a white rabbit. Yuuki frowned; the Sasuke she knew would never be caught dead with such a thing, there had to be a story behind this and for some reason she really wanted to tease him about it.

"Oh Sasuke-kun what's with the ultra-cute-adorable little cuddly white rabbit?" she said, grinning from ear to ear as his little face lit up. Oh yeah, he was thoroughly embarrassed.

"I-it's not for me" he stuttered, "It's for my Mom; she wasn't feeling well today so she couldn't come to the festival with us!"

Yuuki and Naruto got a good laugh out of this for a bit, causing Sasuke to pout. "Sorry for laughing, I think that's totally nice of you Sasuke-kun" said Yuuki, suddenly feeling guilty.

Sasuke wasn't one to show affection, when he did do little things he always tried to hide his involvement. She didn't want him feeling ashamed of doing such things now or his future may turn out just the same as before. Yuuki reached out, taking the rabbit into her hands. "I'm sure she'll love it".

For some reason as she said it, she couldn't help but look at Itachi, remembering she'd said the exact same thing to him. The look of recognition in his eyes told her he remembered too. Blushing she gave Sasuke back the stuff-animal.

"So what do you guys want to do now?" asked Naruto, Yuuki was so grateful for his comment she could hug him right now. So glad to get back on track, looking back at the goldfish game she noticed the crowd had decreased to two. To be exact there was a little cute Hyuuga heiress trying her luck at the pool and a grinning Neji laughing when she failed. It was another surreal experience all over again. In the future a smile was a very rare thing to find on Hyuuga Neji's face but here his younger self was laughing with Hinata like regular kids. Could there really have been a time when they'd been so free with their emotions. Yuuki couldn't think of it and yet it here it was, Neji and Hinata hanging out as they should without the cast problem looming over their heads.

"Hey Naruto-kun I think the goldfish game is open now" said Yuuki, unable to take her eyes of Hinata's face, that smile was so warm, so fitting.

"What really! Okay lets do it then" said Naruto, pumped up and ready to rock.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sasuke.

"Oh right, Sasuke you want to play the goldfish game with us?" asked Naruto. Sasuke seemed to think about it for a bit and for a second there Yuuki honestly wanted him to say 'no'. He looked towards Itachi for guidance; no doubt in his mind Itachi could do no wrong.

"What do you think Aniki? Mom said we should stay in sight of the elders but I want to hang out with Naruto for a bit".

Itachi looked at Naruto, and then Yuuki, his eyes staying fixed on her for a bit before he answered. "It should be fine otouto".

"Cool!" cried Sasuke, his voice taking Yuuki by surprise and almost making her fall over. Never in her life had she ever heard Sasuke even have an inch of that much excitement. Could the Uchiha Massacre have screwed him up that bad?

"Come on Naruto, I bet you I can catch a lot more fishes than you!" taunted Sasuke with that knowing smirk of his.

Naruto's face turned a bright red and Yuuki just knew the poor little fishes were in for a rough ride. Shaking her head she began to wheel herself to follow but stopped as a warm hand rested over hers. Looking up she had to stop herself from gasping at the sight of Itachi's handsome face looming over her. Their gazes locked, her blue searching the dark depths and finding it hard to turn away. With effort she directed her gaze to their joined hands, the heat rising to her cheeks as she asked. "Itachi-san, w-what are you doing?"

"I didn't mean to be offensive I just thought I could help" he said, his deep voice sounding a bit concerned.

"Oh no don't worry, you weren't offensive. I just didn't know what you were up to is all. Thanks" she said, shutting her mouth before anything else could fly out. Why was it that he unbalanced her so much? She remained quiet as he wheeled her along, Sasuke and Naruto were waiting for them now, giving them suspicious glances.

"Geez you guys are slow" muttered Naruto as he offered up some money to the owner of the game stand. The man gave him an odd look for a time but he seemed to notice both the Uchiha and Hyuuga clan's reproaching glares. Quickly he gave them the tools and went about his business. Naruto distributed them among the others. Itachi was taken back when the boy offered him a blue scooper and bowl. The surprised expression on his face was so foreign Sasuke and Naruto started laughing at him.

"Find something funny otouto?" said Itachi his voice a tad-bit lower.

The two gulped, shaking their heads and hoped to spare their lives. Hinata and Yuuki giggled.

"Hinata-sama I believe your father's calling us" said Neji, the joy from before seeping away before her eyes. Hinata nodded, took one last glance at Naruto and his group before stepping away. Yuuki could see the longing in her eyes, Naruto probably did too. His eyes never left the Hyuuga heiress as she left, his mouth slightly parted as though to call her back.

"Oi Naruto you gonna play or are you too chicken to even try?" teased Sasuke, already positioned over the pool with his scooper at ready. This seemed to be enough to snap Naruto out of his trance; quickly he got to his side of the pool and began to countdown. Yuuki watched them not really wanting to interfere just yet; something else seemed to have stolen her attention. Looking through her long lashes she watched Itachi, the content smile on his face as he watched his little brother have fun. His silent demeanor was hard to understand but for some reason Yuuki wanted to understand him. To understand this man who was willing to throw everything away for his beliefs.

"So you're Sasuke's older brother" she said, trying to strike up a conversation.

Itachi looked at her, those unnerving dark eyes hardly blinking. "Yes, it's a full-time job at times".

Yuuki chuckled, "I can see that".

He rose a brow to this, "How about Naruto Uzumaki, how do you know him?"

"I just met him recently, my family and I just moved here and Naruto's been keeping us company" she said, staring out towards the goldfish pool in hopes of escaping his searching gaze.

Itachi nodded, "I see, I hope you enjoy your stay in Konoha".

Yuuki blushed, "I intend to, Naruto's doing a good job at keeping us busy. So you're teaching Sasuke how to be a ninja?"

Itachi chuckled, "I don't think I can teach him how to be a ninja. He was born into it, I'm only helping him get the steps right".

Yuuki nodded, "I'm going to be going to the academy too you know. Well I plan to join along with Naruto once my legs get better".

Itachi's dark eyes pinned her again, like a butterfly she tried fruitlessly to get away but there was no getting away from him. Not from those dark pools that seemed to draw you in whole. "So you'll be in the same class as Sasuke".

"yup" she chirped, her ears filled with the fluttering beat of her heart. Really she needed to gain some control of her body, this was humiliating!

"Watch over him for me" he said, his voice only a whisper but still she heard it.

"I will" she said, the conviction there as she thought of all the things she planned to prevent.

"Hey you guys gonna keep flirting or come play with us!" called Naruto, having finally caught a goldfish while Sasuke had two in his bowl. Yuuki growled and joined the game. Slightly she watched the pool, seeking the goldfish's movements, looking for the loner in the pack and waiting for the right moment to scoop him out. On her second try she struck true, snagging the fish before it could have a chance to struggle. Pumping her fist into the air she cried out in triumph. "See that Naruto-kun, now how many times did you try again" she teased but fell silent.

Everyone was looking at her strangely, not in astonishment but rather in a bewildered light. Quick Yuuki felt her excitement drain away, why were they staring at her like that? Had she done something wrong?

"You never told me you had such cool tricks" said Naruto, his mouth hanging open. Yuuki began to sweat a bit, she had several cool tricks up her sleeve the real question was which one had she unwittingly shown them.

"What trick?" she asked, trying for innocence until proven guilty.

"You were like humming to the fish or something, whispering to it in a different language and leading it to you" said Sasuke, his dark eyes shinning with admiration.

Yuuki froze, that was a trick she was not aware of. Suddenly she didn't feel too good; gaining this new body had changed a lot of things. Abilities she wasn't aware of kept popping out and quite frankly it was becoming disheartening. Would she ever get used to this new body? Feeling woozy she offered her fish to the stall owner for him to bag it.

"Hey no holding out, how did you do that?" asked Naruto. Yuuki really loved her past self but sometimes he had no sense of timing. Here she was hoping if she ignored the question it would be left alone and here he was resurrecting it just so it could haunt her again. It was like burying a secret only to have some idiot unearth it and leave you to deal with the aftermath.

"I don't know Naruto-kun, I didn't even notice I was doing it…can we please drop this" she said. There was a cute couple to the right, a small girl was screaming her brother's ears out for cotton candy, all this she tried to pay attention to…anything but her companions and their searching gazes.

"If you guys don't hurry we'll lose a good spot to watch the fireworks" said Itachi in his matter of fact voice. Immediately Yuuki's recent weirdness was forgotten as the two boys raced over to the grass fields.

"You can look now" said Itachi, his deep voice sounding so comforting to Yuuki frazzled mind. Unknowingly she reached out to touch his hand. "Thank you…"

"For what I was only mention we'd lose our seats for the fireworks" he said nonchalantly, a smirk on that dashing face.

Yuuki chuckled, "Yeah that's right no need to thank the big baby. Come on then we're going to be left behind".

Itachi looked at her and there was mirth in those dark depths. He began to laugh and Yuuki decided he had a very nice laugh, soothing to her ears. In a comfortable silence they went after Naruto and Sasuke. Yuuki remained in her wheelchair while Itachi stretched out in the green plain. His movements graceful like a cat. Yuuki caught Naruto watching Hinata's profile as the fireworks began, watching as the colors reflected on her pretty face. They both smiled then, knowing this moment was precious. Itachi was looking up too, but towards another sky, hiding beneath long lashes of gold.

* * *

Okay People that's the end of this chapter. I hoped you all liked it. Please do review; I enjoy reading and replying to them.


	9. Chapter 9: Change of plans

_Where are you? I need you  
Don't leave me here on my own  
Speak to me, be near me  
I can't survive unless I know you're with me_

_Shadows linger only to my eye  
I see you, I feel you, don't leave my side  
It's not fair, just when I found my world  
They took you, they broke you, they tore out your heart_

"_**Haunted" by Kelly Clarkson**_

**

* * *

Chapter 9: Change of plans**.

Like all good things the fireworks came to an end, the crowds began to disperse. Yuuki and Naruto smiled at each other.

"That was so awesome!" he yelled.

"hn"

"Sasuke you really need to do something about your personal vocabulary. 'Hn' isn't a word, it certainly isn't a phrase of appreciation" teased Yuuki.

"She's totally right man" chirped Naruto, searching the crowds for something. Yuuki had a feeling she knew what or for that matter just who he was looking for.

"She left a while ago with her family lover boy" she offered, a cheeky grin on her face as he whirled on her, blue eyes demanding.

"How do you know? For that matter do you even know who I was looking for?" he retorted, his eyes still searching.

Yuuki crossed her arms, a knowing smirk on her little face. "Is she petite, pale, with nice little bangs that frame her face or maybe…."

Quickly he clamped his hand onto her mouth before she could go any further. "O-kay so you do know who I was looking for…how about we talk about this later".

Yuuki grinned behind the warm flesh; Naruto's attempts at adverting embarrassment were hilarious. He actually looked like he was about to start sweating bullets any minute. Her paler blue eyes took on a devilish light and she was about to continue when she decided it'd be overkill. She pulled his hand away with ease. "Sure".

He let out a comical sigh of relief; the two Uchiha brothers watched the interaction with interest. Sasuke butted in, "Who was he looking for?"

"None of your beeswax!" whipped back Naruto, already on the defensive.

Yuuki and Itachi laughed a bit, he watched her face light up from the corner of his eye. She should laugh more often. Naruto and Sasuke went right off cursing each other out.

"Dope" said Sasuke with a smug look on his face. It took a while for Naruto to compute but instant he did, he came back swinging with the first word to enter his brain.

"Teme!"

Yuuki watched, to others it may seem like a fight was just about getting underway but to her she saw two boys sealing a deep friendship. This made her uneasy, oh don't get it wrong she loved the idea of anti-social Sasuke finally getting a friend to stick in his otherwise empty life. What made her uneasy about the whole thing was Naruto becoming Sasuke's best friend was like him signing his own death warrant with a smile. Sighing she searched the crowds on their way back, looking for her two guardians, silently hoping they hadn't gotten themselves into trouble. She couldn't say much about Seras, she seemed to be a responsible adult but then again she was with Kyuubi. Kyuubi while a very, very strong demon lord was a happy little demon five year old on the inside. He could turn the strictest man loose in seconds with those ever convincing notions of his.

"Hey isn't that Katsu and Seras over there" said Naruto, pointing towards the Sumo wrestling pin where a crowd had gathered. Yuuki paled, at least she didn't have to wait long to know her wish wasn't granted. Bring on the humiliation. Sighing she wheeled herself over to the Sumo ring. At its center was a rather large Sumo grabbing…Seras' obi! How the hell had Kyuubi gotten Seras to wrestle a man ten times her size in a yukata? Sweat-dropping she looked for the culprit and there he was with a devilish grin as he cheated people out of their money, placing in bets that were doomed before they even touched his hat. How had he acquired the hat by the way?

"Yuuki Seras is in there!" said Naruto.

"Yeah" She said, her tone flat as she watched Kyuubi glide through the crowd, ushering more bets.

"She's gonna die taking him on!" cried Sasuke, this being too crazy for a composed analysis.

"Nope"

Everyone turned towards her as though she were running mad, even Itachi. Yuuki sighed, a lying tongue it is. "You ever heard of the Sanin Tsunade?"

Itachi and Sasuke nodded while Naruto looked utterly clueless.

"Lets just say Seras has her abominable strength hm" she said as they moved closer to the match. Seras was letting the Sumo wrestle win for now, getting more bets for Kyuubi who looked to be the fool for betting on her.

"**Ah! Yuuki dear you're just in time. Care to bet?**" asked Kyuubi, giving her a wink with that easy grin of his. Yuuki sighed, and people wondered why she'd grown up to be such a special ninja. Try growing up with Kyuubi as your inner demon, things get interesting real fast.

"Sure" she said, giving him an overly pleasant smile. "I'll bet on the blonde. How much did the last guy bet?"

"**Five hundred yen**" he sounded suspicious.

"Yeah, double that and that's my bet" said Yuuki, smiling at the genuine surprise on his face as well as the others.

Kyuubi huffed, "**Fine, steal my thunder why don't you**".

"What's he whining about?" asked Naruto as Kyuubi turned away. Yuuki laughed but it was Itachi who explained.

"Now that Yuuki placed such a large bet on Seras people are going to become ify about their bets. I think they've just remembered they live in a shinobi village" he said.

"Won't they take back their bets?" asked Sasuke, appalled at seeing people conned for the first time.

"No, they can't Katsu just closed the bet" said Itachi, watching with a slight tilt of his upper lip.

"That's sad" said Sasuke, shaking his head a bit though he seemed to find Kyuubi interesting. One may wonder how Yuuki knew that, well with Uchihas if they gave you so much as a second glance you were either interesting or something's not right with or on you.

They watched as the fight within the ring suddenly turned, Seras instead pushing back the giant Sumo and pretending to feel the effort it was costing her. The women outside the ring of course cheered, some of the men looked disappointed. Others were following Kyuubi's hat, no doubt remembering other things that their money could have accomplished. Finally Seras was able to push him to the point of defeat. She bowed at her applause, looking absolutely giddy. Yuuki raised a brow to this, so Kyuubi had found a way to talk her into it…that or he found some secret way to make a vampire drunk.

She received Seras hug upon her arrival back into the group. As Seras tried to pull away Yuuki clenched down. She pretended to be worried sick and pleading with her never to try this again. "We need to talk, not about this mind you but tell Kyuubi we need to call a meeting. I need to change something" she whispered.

Seras nodded and Yuuki released her. Itachi gave them a look that made Yuuki feel like her act had been transparent but Sasuke and Naruto had been too busy talking with Kyuubi about his winnings to notice.

"Say Aniki can we go over to Yuuki and Naruto's place some time?" asked little Sasuke, his face hopeful.

"Sure, that's if they allow us?" said Itachi his eyes turning back to Yuuki, Kyuubi and Seras for permission.

"Oh sure! Of course any time" said Seras, giving them one of her toothless smiles. Yuuki always wondered how she was able to hide her fangs so well when she smiled so much. Seras said practice; Yuuki had other ideas…maybe some vampric instinct.

Kyuubi nodded his consent, looking from Itachi to Yuuki noting something was brewing but wisely keeping his mouth shut. The group said their goodbyes, Naruto deciding to head home with them since his apartment still smelled like paint. Just because it dries fast doesn't mean the smell evaporates. A little flaw Kyuubi believed he'd work out sometime between this decade and the next, when he has the time of course.

* * *

The group came back to the cottage happily tired; Naruto didn't bother to hide his yawning. Kyuubi laughed at him and directed him to their room before he collapsed. Yuuki and Seras went into theirs, undoing their yukatas with care. Yuuki found it easier to remove the pins from her hair than it had been putting them in. She jumped as she felt cool hands brush against her scalp.

"Sorry didn't mean to startle you, just thought you wouldn't mind me brushing your hair" said Seras, an apologetic smile on her face.

Yuuki shook her head, pulling Seras' hand closer to her forehead as a content smile unfurled on her face. "No, I don't mind. Your hand's so cold I can feel it easing away my headache".

Seras smiled, the truth was out of all her vampric traits being eternally cold had bothered her. Having Yuuki say otherwise, even comment on it being helpful made her feel so much better about it. Smiling she took the brush in her hand and began to brush down Yuuki's long hair for sleep. "Your hair's so pretty" she said, "Like it was spun from gold".

Yuuki blushed, not used to being complemented on her appearance; for her stamina, fighting abilities yes but never her hair or looks. She allowed herself to indulge in Seras' motherly charm before coming back to reality. "We'll have to wait till Naruto falls asleep won't we?"

Seras nodded, "Yup, you know you could catch some sleep and I'll wake you when I hear he's asleep".

Yuuki looked at her through the mirror, "How will you know?"

Seras tapped her ears, "I have very sensitive ears remember, I'll be able to hear it when his heartbeat settles down. You might too, come to think of it. Have you been testing out your hearing?"

Yuuki blushed, "I used to dull them down in my past life to fit in. I don't know for sure but I think I may have been unconsciously doing it again".

Seras nodded in understanding. "Yeah well while I don't think that's a bad thing per say I just think it's good to be alert about danger before its staring you in the face. I can teach you to focus your hearing if you want so you're not overwhelmed".

Yuuki laughed, "I think I'll take you up on that offer, you're right about the danger thing. If I had let loose my hearing I can't count the amount of danger I could have avoided in my past life".

Seras grinned, "Think Kyuubi can squeeze it in with your walking and chakra lessons?"

Yuuki laughed, "He'd do it even if it meant cutting back on my eating time".

The grin on Seras' face widened, "Ouch".

Yuuki giggled, "Yup, that's my Kyuubi the task master, trainer from hell…you name it".

"**Do I Hear someone talking about me**" came an all too familiar voice. Both females jumped out their skins. Yuuki gasped; her heart beating like a drum as her hand settled over it. She whirled around, her hair flying wildly.

"Don't do that Kyuubi, I thought I'd die from shock" she gaped at him.

Kyuubi grinned, looking very much unrepentant. Seras chuckled but even her merit was shaky. She'd just been talking about her sensitive ears and here Kyuubi was proving how wrong she was.

"**So what's the meeting for boss**" he chirped, bouncing on her bed. Yuuki gave him a scathing glare but the grin on her face must have taken out some of its effect.

"Not here, isn't there somewhere we can go to talk more freely? I don't know about you but I know for a fact in my past life I tended to wake up to nightmares. What if Naruto wakes up and overhears us. I'm keeping him out of this Kyuubi, for as long as I can" said Yuuki; her voice showed there'd be no arguments on this matter.

Kyuubi chuckled, "**Since when did you become the queen of paranoia?**"

Naruto huffed, "you would too if Itachi Uchiha had been looking at you as if he had byakugans".

Kyuubi laughed while Seras looked confused. He later explained to her about the clan bloodlimits in soft whispers as they walked into the living room. Just as Yuuki was about to ask why he'd come here Kyuubi went over to one of the lamps, pressing a button and stood back. The TV seemed to cave in as it revealed a pathway hidden behind. Yuuki whistled as lightly as she could, though you can'tt control these things. They were either loud or soft.

"**You think you can climb down a ladder right now?"** he asked.

Yuuki stamped her feet for good measure. "Yeah, I think so. Depends though, does the ladder run down to Never-land?"

"**Alright smart ass, get over here**" he waved her over and pulled aside a trapdoor. Yuuki lowered herself in carefully; it was awfully dark in there. Careful with where she placed her hands and legs she climbed down, happy when she spotted some light at the exit. She jumped the last bit, landing on smooth stone. She turned and stepped forward, her mouth hanging open at the massive room. It was like an underground cave.

"Kyuubi what is this place?"

"**Like it, I knew you would. Water used to be trapped down here. It links to the Yamashi springs out by the village edge. The water's moved on now, leaving this space behind. I've been redecorating it while you all slept**".

"But then who sleeps with Naruto?" asked Seras.

"A clone?" guessed Yuuki, Kyuubi nodded in consent. He walked further into the cave, whirling around with flourish. "Well what do you think Seras?"

Seras took a look at the place; it was like a mixture of sorts. To the left, resting upon the rough walls was a rack for weapons, beside that a shelf with several bottle of different colors and sizes neatly labeled poisons at the top to deter curious licks. There were a few test dummies lined up with several parts already marked with target signs and a diagram of the human anatomy right beside it. Shifting, she looked to her right noting there were two other tunnels, one a little harder to point out than the other. Between the tunnels was another vast shelf with a large lock on the handles. Above it stated 'Protective gear'. Seras frowned at this, why lock the protective gear and leave out all the dangerous stuff.

"**If we're attack and someone happens to defy the odds and finds this place I don't want to give them any form of help**" offered Kyuubi, she must have been staring at the lock for far too long.

"But then why leave the weapons?" asked Yuuki, in her opinion that was still helping.

Kyuubi laughed, actually laughed like giving his enemy a sword was anything to laugh about. "**Why of course I'd leave them for the picking. I'd rather my enemy be using **_my_** weapons, which **_I_** had made and know everything about. Like say the weak points in the metal or the number of rounds for the guns or better yet what if **_my_** weapons only like **_me_** and burn anyone else who touches them**".

Yuuki gaped; he'd really thought this out. For the hundredth time she was glad he was on her side. The smug look on his face though seized the compliments from her tongue before she could say them. No way was she going to give him a pat on the back when he was already reveling in his own glory bath.

Seras whistled, "Good planning". Suddenly she stiffened; she sniffed about a bit and abruptly turned towards the fridge by the protective gear. She seemed to be in a trance as she walked over to it, her eyes shining a brighter red than usual. Opening the fridge she reached in and pulled out a white milk bottle. Yuuki frowned, concerned about her companion's sudden weird reaction for a bottle of milk. She turned to Kyuubi to ask his opinion but he was already seated at the metal table over by the far back corner. Yuuki walked over to him about to ask what this was all about when she saw the strange, quirky grin on his face and a fond expression on his face.

Seras came over to them now, her eyes still bright with a feverish light but they were alert now. She sat down with Yuuki but as she was about to twist off the lead for the milk bottle she paused. She looked to Yuuki then Kyuubi, her eyes asking for permission. Again Yuuki found this as strange; Seras was a grown woman by many years. She could drink her milk in peace without the say so of anyone.

Kyuubi seemed to know what was going on though, he waved it off. "**Don't worry about it I'm not unfamiliar to the lust for it. She'll eventually feel it too so you might as well**" he said, giving Yuuki a pointed look she didn't quite understand. What's the fuss over a milk bottle?

Seras nodded and practically ripped off the lid. It was then Yuuki got it, the metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils the moment the lid came off. She felt her hands turn to fists and her heartbeat quicken. She watched almost in a trance state herself as Seras tipped the bottle to her lips and swallowed the red liquid. She watched as Sera's slender neck worked, taking in deep swigs of the stuff. It was only when Seras was done; wiping the remnants away with her tongue that Yuuki realized she'd been staring. She turned to Kyuubi, seeing his red eyes on her, that knowing look in his eyes.

She felt like she was transparent, almost like how she'd felt with Itachi but this was different somehow, not as intimate. Suddenly she felt anger, annoyed at Kyuubi for just watching her ogle Seras as she drank the damn thing. She crossed her arms and decided it was time to get down to business. She would not give him the satisfaction of asking questions, not when he'd obviously been winding her up for this little surprise.

"I wanted to talk to you about the Hyuuga clan" she stated.

Kyuubi seemed to look at his black nails, a distant air about him. Sometimes it was just too obvious he wasn't human. There was just a way he carried himself that made him seem so ethereal. "**What about it?"**

"I want to change something" said Yuuki, her fangs biting into her bottom lip a bit. "At one point in her childhood Hinata had been kidnapped by a Rain nin. When Hiashi had caught up to him, by mistake he'd struck him in the heart, killing him. Rain called for repayment for their loss and Hiashi's head. Even though they had been at fault for violating the treaty they'd been playing at making with Konoha the fact still stands that they had been guests of the Hokage. By law Hiashi had to pay for attacking them. The Hyuuga elders decided to use his brother as his substitute. The death of Neji's father, Hiashi's twin brother changed a lot about him. I can see that now and I don't want that change to take place. I want to stop the kidnapping so Hiashi doesn't have to kill his brother".

Kyuubi paused, his knowledgeable eyes staring into her's and causing her to shuffle about in her seat. Kyuubi could force a mountain to move with a stare like that. Knowing him, he'd probably done it before to. He leaned forward now on his elbows and watched her curiously. "**Any other reasons for this action Yuuki-chan? Interfering with the pattern of time isn't an easy thing; you have to be absolutely sure of what you're doing. Tell me Kit what else is going on in that head of yours**".

Yuuki sucked in a sharp breath, sometimes Kyuubi was just too sharp. Sighing she retraced her steps, telling them the other reason she hadn't been too sure about. "Well I was also hoping that if I dressed differently and wore a black wig Hiashi could mistake me for an Uchiha. Maybe this could get the clans to be nicer to each other. If nothing else I was hoping it would put the Hyuuga clan in favor to us. We may need the support of the clans later on when we're trying to establish ourselves".

Kyuubi nodded, "**Very insightful. I highly doubt the clans would get along though. Uchihas and Hyuugas have had this feud going on for decades, besides there's more to being an Uchiha than just the pale skin and black hair. Should Hiashi use his Byakugan, which I'm sure he'll already have on he'd see the difference. You might have had a better chance with a lower class branch member but fooling Hiashi, I fear you have no chance. Still it will be interesting…lets do it then**".

Yuuki sighed, letting out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. While this was really her story of sorts, she valued Kyuubi's opinion. If he said something wasn't going to work. It likely wasn't.

"**But there's another problem we have to think of now. Yuuki how strong do you think you are in that body?**" he asked.

Yuuki paused and to her utter shock she didn't know how to answer. "…I don't know. My chakra control has gotten good enough for academy level but not up to genin I think".

Kyuubi rubbed his chin, thinking hard. "**Hmm, then this will be tricky. You want Hiashi to see you as the one that defeated the Rain nin, that means me and Seras can't really interfere much for fear of Hiashi rushing in at the wrong time. If you can't really rely on your chakra you'll have to overcome the Rain nin with taijutsu. Problem is we don't know how strong you are now, how many of your old moves your small new body can pull**".

"Why not test her right now?" said Seras, absently twirling the empty bottle around.

Yuuki shot up, "Yeah, why not! Kyuubi I think my legs are ready for it".

Kyuubi grinned, knowing how much his kit loved to train. If he was a slave-driver it was only because Yuuki wouldn't accept anything less. Standing he nodded. "**Okay fine but one thing. You'll be fighting Seras**".

The two females looked at him, their eyes wide in shock. This was unexpected he knew and really he'd wanted to see their stunned faces but there was also a practical side to this. "**I need to see you fight to point out the mistake and problems. I also need to get acquainted with Seras' fighting style if I'm to work with her. No offense Seras but I need to know now if you're dead weight**".

"Kyuubi!" chided Yuuki but Seras waved it off.

"What, he's right. Back on the police squad they'd do the same thing to test out the trainees before they send them out to the field".

Yuuki nodded, if not reluctantly. She walked around the table and looked about. "So where are we supposed to be fighting. I wouldn't want to damage the equipment with a stray bolt or something".

Kyuubi smiled, "**Why Yuuki-chan if you had so much as scratched a bottle you be wishing you were back on the wheelchair**".

Yuuki paled, Kyuubi just didn't know how to tell a joke without it seeming real. He was joking right?

"**Anyway come right this way, the training area is back through this tunnel**" he said, leading them down tunnel ahead. It was unbearably dark in there but Yuuki found she could see where she was going with ease. While her new eyes were a bitch in the sunlight they weren't so bad underground. They seemed to walk forever, the tunnel winding to and fro with no sense of an end. Just when she was about to ask Kyuubi if they'd gotten lost in one of the turns they arrived at another chamber.

It was wider than the first, less equipment here, just an open space really. But the space wasn't what mattered; no what caught her attention was the glow worms on the walls. They glowed in the dark, making the entire chamber look like the night sky above with tiny little stars dotting the landscape. It blew her breath away; spinning around it was like she was in the sky, like she was part of this celestial realm. For several moments no one did anything, just drink in the beauty of this place, this treasure Kyuubi had found.

"How did you find this place?" she whispered, not wanting to break the magic of this place for anything.

"**They were here when I got here, it was by share luck really**" said Kyuubi as he walked to the center of the room with a rod in his hand. Yuuki blinked, she hadn't noticed it before. When had he had the time to pick it up from the weapon's rack? She watched as he walked in a wide circle around the chamber, intentionally trailing the rod's tip on the floor. Once he was back at exactly where he'd started he made a few hands seals Yuuki'd never seen and the circle he'd drawn began to glow red.

"What did you do?" asked Seras, quite interested the ninjutsu since her realm had none of that.

Kyuubi looked over to her, noting she looked pretty with the light blue glow on her fair skin. "**I created a circle of power, it's to seal and contain all the damage we reek while training. When we're done and I dispel it none of the damage will remain**".

Yuuki nodded, her mind brought back to reality and the reason for the sudden change of environment. She stepped into the circle, taking in deep breaths. By no means did she expect to be as good as she had been before but here is to hoping she didn't totally suck either. She spread out her legs a bit, stretched a little and cracked her knuckles.

Kyuubi grinned at her, those red eyes shining with a new light that made her want to baulk. Why did he have to be such a sadist?

"**Any time now Kit. Show us what you've got**" he teased, waving her and Seras forward.

Yuuki titled her head back and took one last deep breath before charging at Seras. The blonde vampire blinked and Yuuki fell flat on her face. She got up, panting and wildly searching around. What the hell! She'd been sure she'd been about to hit Seras in the gut when suddenly there'd been nothing there and a force like a bolder had pushed her to the floor.

Seras was standing ten paces away from her now, not looking any different, her expression impassive.

"**Where is your fire Kit? You're running as slow as a turtle**" scolded Kyuubi from the sidelines. Yuuki cursed, wanting nothing more than to shove his head into a toilet. She straightened and eyes Seras cautiously. This wasn't pretty, nice sisterly Seras any more, she was an opponent. A very strong one at that, Yuuki could still feel the sting on her back. Gathering her strength she rushed at the blonde again, pushing with all her might to go faster than before.

Cocking her fist back she aimed a hit to Seras' stomach only to hit flesh that felt like stone. Sucking in the pain from her bloody knuckles she continued to strike out at the blonde woman before her. Instantly she realized she was at an all time low in skills. Her blows weren't going as planned even without Seras' constant dodging and blocking. She still thought she was six' five' and her coordination was off by a mile. It got to the point where all she could do was lash out reflexively till she started getting the hang of using her new limbs.

Fighting Seras was like fighting mist and yet like fighting a mountain at the same time. Her blows despite her feminine frame were heavy handed, creating bruises wherever they landed. Yuuki did her best of dodging, finding that easier to do than hitting back. At one time Seras had lashed out with her feet, sweeping Yuuki's legs from under her and causing her to kiss dirt. Breathing hard Yuuki spun around, grabbing hold of Seras' retracting leg and used it as leverage to aim a kick to her face. Seras caught her foot of course but Yuuki refused to give up, letting go of Seras's foot and twisting to break free of her hold.

Of course with Seras' strength it was like trying to pull your leg out of dried cement. With no other choice she let herself hang, hoping Seras took it for surrender. She did and tried to release Yuuki. Moving as quickly as she could on reflex she planted her hands to the floor and kicked hard at Seras' chin. This at last caught the vampire by surprise and she stepped back. Her expression showed her shock but there were no other signs of damage. Yuuki bit back her frustration. Deciding it was time to level out the height difference she feigned a kick to her opponent's right side and jumped up to punch her in the face. Seras was only able to dodge at the last minute. She made to give Yuuki a jab to her left shoulder. There was a loud crack and a gasp as Yuuki jumped away from her, clutching her broken shoulder.

"**Enough!**" yelled Kyuubi rushing over to his charge.

"I'm so sorry Yuuki-chan. I was just trying to…I'm so sorry I put too much power into that" said Seras, her voice ranging from anger at herself to fear for Yuuki. It was like she'd gone through a transformation. The cold impassive soldier wasn't the one kneeling by Yuuki's side, ready to pull out her hair in concern.

Kyuubi took her arm gently, examining it to see how bad the fracture was. From the corner of her eye Yuuki could see the top of her should turn a nasty shade of blue. It'd be a hell of a bruise in the morning at best, at worst her wheelchair would make friends with her new sling. Not one for suspense she took in a raged breath. "How bad is it?"

Kyuubi's keen red eyes roamed over her wound. "**Not so bad, Seras can give you some of her blood and it'll be as good as new**".

Yuuki started but thought better of it when a sharp stab from her shoulder reminded her of her recent injury. "What do you mean by that? Good as new, even Tsunade can't do all that. I'd have to rest for a day before its 'good as new'".

Kyuubi chuckled, "**Listen up Kit here's an early introductory course into Vampire lore. The blood of a Vampire can heal, far better than any medic nin or drug**".

Yuuki looked towards Seras, "Really?"

Seras nodded, seeming relieved now that a solution to her charges' health had been found. She didn't hesitate to bite her wrist, bringing it closer to Yuuki's mouth. At first Yuuki's mind told her to be repulsed but she couldn't hold up to the feeling for long. The coppery smell began to cloud her thoughts; she didn't even know when her mouth closed over the hand extended to her. All she could do was revel in the life blood, in the taste and in the energy ride it took her on before she was pulled away. At first she tried to fight to return but then her thoughts came slamming back and she stilled.

She froze in utter shock, had she just been fighting to drain Seras' veins like a bottle of sake. Her breath came in rushes, in out in out as she tried to think. She couldn't feel the sting in her arm anymore; quickly she turned her head to see the results. Not a spot of blue, it was like the accident had never happened but Yuuki knew otherwise. The metallic taste in her mouth told her otherwise. She looked towards her guardians, seeing their concerned and understanding stares. "What was that?"

"**_Bloodlust_**" answered Kyuubi, knowing the true meaning of her question. "**True bloodlust as it were**".

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Alright that's the end of this chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Please don't be shy review so I know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10 :meeting the Uchihas part 1

Alright I hope my dedicated readers have started to notice this story will have a time-line all to its self. I am in no way copying the manga because then that would just be boring for you guys and you might as well read the original. No, this story will have several changes and I'm taking things step by step so you don't get lost in the sauce of my imagination.

_(Can you, can you, can you)  
Can you imagine the time when the truth ran free.  
The birth of a sun the death of a dream.  
Closer to the edge._

_This never ending story, it fall with pride and faith.  
We all fall short of glory, lost in myself._

_No i'm, not saying i'm sorry, one day maybe we'll meet again._

"_**Closer to the edge" by 30 Seconds to Mars**_

* * *

Chapter 10: Meeting the Uchihas (Part 1).

The sparring continued for a bit more. After she'd reined in her shock and vexing new thirst for blood Yuuki got right back to fighting Seras. Her eagerness had nothing to do with Kyuubi's smug eyes or the sudden awkwardness that had come with her little episode. Though it did help, apparently Seras had no trouble wiping off the concerned look on her face for pure neutrality when she's throwing a punch. No, why Yuuki yearned to fight so much was for another reason, one much simpler. It was her.

The match, the feeling as the adrenaline pumps through her veins and the slight high she gets as she hears her blood pound in her ears. This she could understand without a guiding hand, this she had no problem doing. From the moment of her birth she'd had to fight for everything; her life, the control over her body before her compromise with Kyuubi. All of it had been a fight to her and while she'd lost many battles the exhilaration it gives her never stops coming.

Only when she's fighting, only then did she feel like she had full control of the situation. Sure it wasn't like before. It wasn't like when she'd been a hundred percent male with the power of a titan and an acknowledged reputation to boot. She could see the difference each time she tried to throw a punch or take a jab only to strike too early and miss. It was present in the moments when she aimed a strong hit to Seras' side only to second guess it at the last minute because her body wasn't sure and wasn't willing to trust her mind either. Even with all the inconsistencies though Yuuki loved every minute of it, it felt like she'd been a stranger this whole time and finally she was herself again. It felt great, painful blows and all.

Wiping a thin stream of blood from the side of her lip she smiled at Seras. She wasn't the only one enjoying this it seemed. Seras had been expecting this to be tedious, having fought many times and knew how annoying it was to lessen a blow and still deliver it in quick fashion. This wasn't like the time when she'd still been new to her transformation, unable able to measure her strength and breaking things with the smallest gesture. She was a mature vampire now, strong enough to be a master of her own line if she choose to. Thankfully Alucard hadn't asked, he seemed to understand her need to be part of a force but not the head of it.

She'd thought fighting with Yuuki would just be her trying her hardest not to break the pretty little thing. Boy was she wrong, maybe it was because she'd never fought a ninja before or maybe she was getting too soft. Certainly then you couldn't blame her for thinking she'd be getting into this simply to humor Yuuki and Kyuubi without breaking bones (which she had). Whatever her perspective before the match, the fact remains it's taken a drastic change over the course of strikes and blows.

While Yuuki can't technically harm her, what with her size and half-human limitations and all, that didn't change the fact that she was something else. Even with all her speed and steroid like strength Seras couldn't seem to find herself defeating this girl in the area that matter most. By now any normal combatant should know that they were outmatched and try to stall for time till Kyuubi called the match but not Yuuki.

The little girl was surprising Seras all the time and frankly she was giving her a run for her money while they're at it. Constantly she'd think she almost had her cornered only to have Yuuki bust out a series of kicks, flips and strikes that put her back in the safe zone. It was frustrating…and invigorating. You don't know how hard it is to find something that stimulates you this way after you've lived to see just about everything and tried everything. This spar meant more for Seras. It wasn't just a match to test their strengths anymore; it was fun, a challenge even. Words Seras hadn't been familiar with for a long time.

So they both felt very sad when Kyuubi did call it a rap. Yuuki took a seat by Seras, panting and sweating but feeling like a million yen. She waited patiently for her breath to even out and her muscles to relax.

"Well that ends that. So you want to hear the good news or the bad ones?" asked Kyuubi, those red eyes watching the two very closely as he leaned against the cave wall.

Yuuki rolled her eyes, "Why don't you give me the blow now so the good news softens it up later".

His lips curved upwards at that, "Okay bad news it is. Kit I'm going to be a hundred percent honest with you. As you are now, you stink. Oh not as bad as you did in your other life at this age but you're pretty close. You aim as though you're drunk and while I did take in account the new decrease in height I won't be cutting you any slack. At times you seemed to hesitate before throwing a blow. Now I don't know about you but I certainly don't think that rain nin is going to stop and ask if he's hitting you too hard. I say if he won't care to ask for your health neither should you".

Yuuki listened; she really tried to take the criticism with an open mind. Still she couldn't help but feel the sharp jabs of agony to her pride. She'd expected all this; the evaluation, the mock spar, all of it. And yet it still hurt to see all those years of hard work go down the drain. She wasn't a quitter though so she buckled down and braced herself for the worst of it.

"Your accuracy is off, your speed needs a lot of work though I think you may fair fine against a genin. Your instincts and reactions aren't what they used to be but they're still there. Your fighting style has to change though if you want to get the most efficiency from your new body. You're no longer six' five" with muscling arms. You can't go trying to bare your strength down on your opponent like you used to or you'll get crushed. You have to learn how to dance with those lean muscles of yours. To use your petite size to your advantage…"

Kyuubi paused, noting the way his kit was hunched over and frowned. It was like she was waiting for a blow, as though his words were fists physically pounding into her small frame. He pressed his lips together, slightly unsure of what to do. While he honestly wanted to treat Yuuki like any of his subjects, being bluntly honest and all he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Only with her did he feel the need to lighten the assault of words.

"Do you want to know the good news Kit?"

"What that after a swig of Seras' blood I won't have to look like the train crash I feel like" said Yuuki, the bruises on her pretty little face marking her point. She stood and retrieved one of the water bottles by his feet and returned to her spot on the floor.

Kyuubi frowned, "No not that. I can get your strength and speed back up to where they need to be before tomorrow night".

"Tomorrow night?" asked Seras, finally coming into the conversation.

"The kidnapping takes place tomorrow night" explained Yuuki, suddenly feeling really bad for dropping the bomb so late in the game. She was thankful Seras didn't chew her out over her lack of planning. On the contrary Seras seemed to be fine with the rushed job. This made her wonder just how many times Alucard had put her in a similar situation.

"Another thing I noticed is that Seras' blood seems to have been the final push your legs needed. They're fully healed now, you can probably run a marathon if you want".

Yuuki shook her head, though the news was immensely pleasing. "No thanks, I don't think I'll do any running just yet. I'm sure you already have something worse than a marathon planned out for my speed training in that sick mind of yours".

Kyuubi scoffed, "I don't know what you're talking about. My mind is the picture of perfect health".

Yuuki stuck out her pink tongue, "No it's not, I used to share most of it with you remember. You're sick in there man. I'd ask you to check it out with a doctor but you'd probably just run them mental".

Seras looked between the two, "You guys share a mental link?"

Yuuki shrugged, feeling her muscles protest as she did. "Used too…well what we've got going now isn't nearly as strong as before".

Seras nodded, again like sharing your mind with a thousand year old spirit was a normal thing. Just what has she been through to make something as absurd as this normal? Somehow Yuuki couldn't bring herself to ask. She didn't even want to know.

"I guess I can understand".

"You can?" deadpanned Yuuki, nearly choking on her water.

"Yeah sometimes Master Alucard can just telepathically tell me what he wants or call me" said Seras, not a bit of concern on her face.

Yuuki smacked her face against her palm with a groan. "I was praying you'd be the normal one among us".

Seras chuckled, "Sorry, if it makes you feel any better I think Naruto can fit that category".

Kyuubi tsked, "Not really. He is Yuuki's former self remember. At the moment my past self is still dormant in him, sleeping. He'll be as messed up as us when he grows up".

Yuuki glared from the corner of her eye. "Did you have to put it that way".

Kyuubi shrugged, "Pleased I've said worse"

Yuuki turned away from him, mumbling. "I know…"

Seras was laughing when suddenly her body went still, vampire type still. She could almost pass for a statue. "Dawn's coming; we should start heading back if we don't want Naruto to worry".

Yuuki frowned, "How do you know that? I thought the whole burning in the sunlight thing was a hoax".

Seras shook her head as though trying to clear the fog from her thoughts. "It is, we don't burn in the sun. It just makes us weaker and sleepy. You're a half vampire and you can already see how painful the sunlight can be for our eyes".

Yuuki thought on it for bit and realized how good she had it as a hybrid. At the moment she didn't feel the least bit sleepy. "But you don't wear any glasses Sears".

"I'm used to it, besides I'm old enough to ignore it" she said, standing now with a sluggish pace. "This kind of thing doesn't even bother Master Alucard anymore".

"Ah" said Yuuki, unable to say anything else since she was still warming up to the idea of Alucard and Integra being her great grandparents. She walked over to Seras' side, expecting her to cut her wrist as she had before. She waited…and waited. Seras did nothing, just stood there with her arm extended to her charge with an impassive look on her face.

"Um I know how weird this will sound but mind bleeding yourself for me again?" said Yuuki, eyes darting everywhere.

Kyuubi chuckled, "She wants you to use your fangs love"

"What?" deadpanned Yuuki, in utter shock. Could this get any weirder?

"He's right Yuuki-chan, you need to learn to use your fangs now. Trust me when I say you don't want to fang anyone by mistake without at least knowing how to go about it" said Seras, dangling her arm in front of Yuuki like fish to a killer whale.

Yuuki waited for the punch line but when it didn't come she got this sinking feeling in her stomach. They weren't kidding; they really wanted her to munch on Seras. She'd sort of being hoping the pointy teeth had been for show like with Kiba.

"Any day now Kit, we could all use some beauty sleep" said Kyuubi, enjoying this a little too much.

Yuuki blew away some stray strands of hair from her hair and glared at them both, hoping they felt as uncomfortable as she did. Sucking it up she leaned closer to the extended arm, tentatively taking a lick. "Speak for yourself beauty queen".

If Kyuubi had given a comeback she wouldn't know, her mind was floating. Her ears pounding with the rhythm of Seras' blood as it gushed into her mouth. There was a beauty in the color red and as she drank deeper she felt so much more alive. The power in the blood made her feel so invincible. It made her feel like she could take on the world and not lose.

All too quickly she was pulled away and again in a detached manner she watched herself fight against those strong hands. She winched as she heard her elbow land a rather painful hit to Kyuubi's chin. Seeing her beloved guardian get hurt must have switched something on. Suddenly she was in control again, not the observer but the participant.

"I'm so sorry" she gushed, feeling bad about it. Kyuubi waved her off though.

"No problem Kit, you're doing better than most newborns. At least you gain control after awhile, some go crazy from the power" said Kyuubi.

Yuuki looked to Seras for confirmation and felt her heart skip at the grim look on the other blonde's face. Somehow Yuuki couldn't help but feel it didn't fit her.

"Oh and Yuuki-chan, try to pretend you still need your crutches" said Kyuubi as they walked back towards the main front chamber. He lingered for a bit, taking one last look at the glow worms. He couldn't help but feel the old stab of loneliness return. This reminded him too much of home. Not this realm where humans have polluted and harmed much of the earth. No, the memories of his old home kept rising up, images of mountains of unbelievable heights and streams as clear as crystals.

He turned his focus back to the others, catching up before they could notice his absence. Silently he let go of his hold on the power circle.

Yuuki turned back, able to make out his face in the dark. "Why?"

Kyuubi sighed, giving her that exasperated look. "Think about it Kit. What would you do if suddenly someone who was just on crutches one day is running and doing cartwheels the next?"

Yuuki frowned, "You do have a point but I don't really think the situation's as bad as you say. I already told him I'd be getting better".

Kyuubi shook his head as though he was talking to a rock. "Come on Kit, you remember how you were at this age. Sure you weren't the sharpest crayon in the box but you did notice things. Naruto doesn't completely trust us right now. We don't want to give him more ammunition to consider the weird things we do".

"Good point" said Yuuki, climbing up the ladder and stepping aside so the others could get out. They continued on back through the secret door and to their rooms. Yuuki laid her head on her pillow, snuggling closer to Seras only to pull back at the smell of her blood. Her hands turned to fists as she tried to force herself to think of something else. To count sheep until she fell asleep, it didn't work of course but she felt better for trying. Somehow she had been able to get some sleep before she felt a tug on her night gown.

"Yuuki-chan I wanted to let you sleep some more but I think you should wake up if you don't want Naruto to worry" said Seras, already dressed in her usual mini-skirt and blouse. Yuuki groaned, batting away her hands and trying to snuggle deeper into the sheets. She frowned and whined when Seras pulled the sheets away from her entirely.

Yuuki glared at her with her pale blue eyes but got up and took care of her hygienically needs. She saved her hair for last, knowing it could probably scare a babe to tears. After taming the beast she went back to Seras, feeling much better now that she was presentable. "Morning Seras".

"Morning Yuuki-chan. Did you sleep well last night?" asked Seras as they walked through the corridor.

Yuuki looked up towards her, surprised by the unexpected question. "Yeah I guess, I wasn't sore or anything. I think I had been dreaming but now I can't remember the dream".

Seras nodded and turned the corner. The two stopped at the sweet smell of egg omelets. Yuuki grinned, "Morning Kyuubi".

The redhead didn't turn around, he just tilted his head back a bit to get them in his view. His firm lips forming a wicked grin. "Morning to you too and I'm glad to see you won't be hoarding little birdies in that nest you call hair today".

Yuuki kicked him, lightly since by all medical diagnosis she was physically cured and fair game should he choose to have his revenge. She pulled herself up onto the counter and watched him work. He seemed so silly whistling as he monitored the eggs.

"Aren't you a little too old to be whistling happy little tunes" came a rough, rather familiar voice. The three occupants in the room turned their attention to the new comer. Yuuki was shocked to see her Great Grandfather again, Kyuubi didn't seem to be. He was transparent like before, lightly floating off the floor like a ghost. He took one look at them and gave that perfected cynical yet egoistical grin of his. Yuuki frowned.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you Grandpa but where's grandma?"

Alucard looked at her over the rims of his customized orange shades. You know the condescending look a librarian would give you for breaking the silence. "I see someone's more stable. Your _Grandma_ would kill you if she heard you call her that. She didn't want to come this time; she has some stupid solo mission or something" he grumbled.

Kyuubi raised a brow to this. "Someone's crabby about being left behind"

Alucard growled at the Spirit, "What was that? Does the walking mayhem have something to say to me".

Kyuubi feigned a cringe, "Ouch, you hurt my feelings. She probably left you behind because you're overkill on everything".

Alucard glared, folding his arms. "So says the Nanny. At least when I shoot something I make sure it's _dead_"

Kyuubi waved him off, dishing out the omelets. "You still on that? It's been five hundred years. I say let sleeping dogs lay".

Alucard scoffed, "Only you Kyuubi, only you would get away with saying crap like that to me and not be fashioning a couple of bullet holes".

Kyuubi winked, "But of course I've always had a way with words".

Alucard rolled his eyes at his conceited former partner. "Sure like when you told the Lady Vannadille she smelled like a sewer".

Kyuubi raised his right hand in protest. "Hey, you know as well as I that she did. All those bloody expensive perfumes she had on. She probably smelled nice with the first one but after the other twenty more the scent turned ugly real quick. At least I said something, you were holding your nose to the side and don't think I didn't notice your eyes darting for the water hose".

Alucard gave him a blank stare for a second before bursting into fits of laughter. Yuuki watched on in fascination. Its strange how she understood how old Kyuubi was but seeing him and Alucard barter stories from decades past seemed to just hammer it into her head. These men were ancient…and yet they could outdo Children in juvenile behavior. She and Seras joined in the laughter, picturing the hilarious scene in their heads.

"What happened afterwards?" asked Yuuki, eager to know more of her guardian.

Kyuubi seemed to look at her in a different light, those keen red eyes taking on a softer shine. Suddenly Yuuki felt guilty for not asking little things like this earlier.

"Morning, what's all the laughter about?" asked Naruto.

Yuuki jumped, completely caught off guard. Gingerly, she rubbed her abused bum in hopes to ease the pain of her little fall from the counter top. She glared at Naruto who still looked half-asleep and worse for wear. Had Kyuubi's clones pretended to sleep rough again? She looked at Alucard, hoping he hadn't been caught off guard and had puffed away a long time ago.

Nope, he was still there with that evil grin of his and staring at Naruto. Yuuki felt like she was about to have a heart attack, all their hard work at keeping the weird stuff away from Naruto gone with the wind. She was about to try to explain to him before he jumped off the handles when Naruto surprised her yet again, in the same day, within the same damn hour!

"Come on let me in on the secret, what's so funny?" He pestered. Yuuki just looked at him, her eyes wide as saucers. "Naruto who's in the room right now?"

He gave her the look; you know the one that's asking if you're slow or something. Though it grated on Yuuki's nerves she tried to focus and not give into her defensive nature to argue. "Seriously, who do you see in the room?"

Rolling his eyes, the little boy answered. "You, Seras-san and Katsu-teme".

Kyuubi raised a brow to this, "Why add teme in there runt?"

Naruto glared as best he could, still half asleep and tired. "Because You kept kicking in your sleep last night! You were doing it on purpose again!"

Yuuki shook her head in disbelief, totally zoning out the little argument that was ensuring in the Kitchen. Naruto couldn't see Alucard…just how many times in her past life had her great grandparents been there, watching and just beyond her vision. It was a scary thought and a very sad one. They could have been trying to tell her about her family heritage all along but the message couldn't go through. Not before her Vampric blood was awakened, certainly not before her own death.

"Yuuki-chan? Are you alright?" called a voice.

Yuuki centered herself back to reality. The argument had been defused and everyone was staring at her now. Naruto looked really concerned so she tried to reassure him with a smile. "I'm okay Naruto-kun. Why don't you help Kyuubi and Seras set the table".

Once concern was over with Naruto realized she'd just given him an order and sought to debate it. Thankfully Kyuubi grabbed the troublesome little boy and gently hurled him out the room. Seras seemed uncertain for a short time but followed after the other two. Yuuki watched them go. "Has this happened before?"

"What do you mean?" asked Alucard, his voice bland and she just knew he did know what she was talking about. Gritting her teeth, she demanded. "Have you ever appear before me before my rebirth!"

Alucard looked away, the tint of his shades blocking her view of his eyes. "It has…don't worry about it".

Yuuki whirled around, ready to tell him where to stuff his commands. That she'd worry all she wanted since it did mean something to her but he was already gone. Like the passing breeze he was there one minute and the next she was looking at the kitchen wall. No transparent man, no Alucard.

Sighing in defeat she went out of the room to join the others. Softly she whispered, "It does matter to me".

She didn't see the shifting shadow that watched her go. They ate breakfast in a comfortable silence today, Naruto just too tired to stir things up and Yuuki too preoccupied. Finally when Breakfast was done and cleared away a new dilemma rose up.

"What are we gonna do today?" asked Naruto, having had the two few days of his life rock he wasn't willing to stop the ball now. He saw the others, their blank looks and his heart dropped. Please let it not be their bright idea well was dry. Racking his brain he decided he'd have to save the day. If they didn't know what they wanted to do he'd come up with something. His upper lip twitched as the light bulb in his head went off.

"How about we go visit Sasuke-teme and Itachi-san?"

Yuuki nearly choked on her water at the sound of Itachi's name. She turned to the root of her humiliation in question but Naruto had that resolute face thing going on. Now she understood what people meant when they said she could look intimidating when she'd decided on something. Right now she couldn't bring herself to shoot down the idea, though it made her uncomfortable on several levels.

So that's how she found herself, moments later on her crutches, limping towards the Uchiha district with the rest. Did no one care about the health of her heart? Twice now events have almost led to a near heart attack. She had no doubt the meeting with the Uchiha Brothers would lead to a third. Grimly she limped after the others; they were getting directions to Itachi and Sasuke's house from the residents. Titling her head up against the heat she directed her eyes towards the sun. It was so bright she had to turn away but the damage had been done. She felt herself sway and then her grip on the crutches began to slip. Before she knew it she was felling back in slow motion.

She tried to get the others attention, honestly she did but they seemed to be too preoccupied with the old store owner to glance back. Yuuki closed her eyes and prayed the fall wouldn't hurt too much. She kept expecting her back to meet the solid ground but it never did. After counting from thirty and no impact she cracked open on eye. She was upright, supported by something very sturdy.

"Careful there miss" came a voice from behind.

"huh" was the most intelligent reply she could think of. Turning around, she saw a rather attractive teen with dark curly hair, pale skin and dark eyes.

"Do I get a thank you? Miss?" his voice was smooth but not as dark and as resonating as Itachi.

"Yuuki Hellsing" she said, leaning on her crutches to shake his hand and taking a step back from him. She still wasn't used to the heated reaction a female body has when in contact with a male. It wasn't as strong as with Itachi but it was till disconcerting. She tried to smile to elevate the awkward situation of talking with a spooked stranger, the spooked stranger being her.

"Shisui Uchiha" he said in reply, a light of mischief in his eye.

"Yuuki! The nice old lady over there said Sasuke lives a bit further down" yelled Naruto, running back towards her and taking in the stranger beside her. His blue eyes narrowed and Yuuki could have laughed at the suspicious look he was sending Shisui.

"This is Shisui-san Naruto" she offered, trying to make things easier.

"Hi little man, Naruto is it?" said Shisui, a light of recognition in his eyes but his smile remained sincere. Yuuki felt herself breathe a sigh of relief, Shisui didn't hate Naruto. Honestly none of Uchihas so far have so much as given Naruto the bad eye since they got here. Sure there was the occasional frown but that was understandable because they must have been an odd group. It's rare for anyone other than an Uchiha to enter the Uchiha compound without being on official business.

"So you guys are going to Sasuke-kun's house?" asked Shisui, a curious look on his face.

"Yes" said Seras, walking slowly back with Kyuubi at her side. There was a silence at her arrival, not an awkward one just a silence. Her red eyes seem to lock onto Shisui's dark ones. They seemed to search each other, sharing something private.

"Well I'm a friend of the family and I'd like to take you if that's okay?"

Seras smiled, a different one this time. There was an interesting glow about it that lit up her face. Yuuki wasn't sure if this was for ill or good.

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Alright that's it for this chapter. Please feel free to review; I do my best to reply within two days time.


	11. Chapter 11: meeting the Uchihas part II

Um I'd like to give a shout out to one of my reviewers. She'd a writer too so look up some of her work. Her user name is YumeKioko.

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It's only half past the point of no return  
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn  
The thunder before lightning, the breath before the phrase  
Have you ever felt this way?_

"_**Glitter in the air" by Pink**_

* * *

Chapter 11: Meeting the Uchihas (part 2)

The last leg of the trip to the Uchiha brother's house was a pleasant one. Despite herself Yuuki found herself enjoying Shisui's company. He was a jester at heart, constantly bringing up some funny remark to tickle their funny bones. Everyone liked him and for a minute Yuuki felt horrible just knowing in her time no one got to hear his jokes. She noticed he liked to stick close to Seras. Usually Seras didn't like to be too close to people other than Yuuki and Kyuubi but her guardian seemed fine with this strange man at her side.

Of course, Seras wasn't too overly friendly to the hyper Uchiha. When he directed his jokes towards her in hopes of getting her attention the blonde would respond politely but other than that she didn't lead him on. Yuuki found it funny to see Shisui's face deflate at the cold responses. He was so different from what she'd pictured from what she knew about him. He was energetic, more so than any Uchiha she'd come to know which wasn't much to go on since she only really knew two. But facts are facts. By some ungodly law of nature Uchihas were fair skinned, prissy, analytical maniacs with a thing for fire. Shisui wasn't anything like that, he was goofy but at times she could see the cool side of him come out. He could be a playboy if he wanted with his smooth talking ways.

Yuuki sighed; she'd paid so attention to her musing over Shisui that she hadn't noticed when they'd reached Sasuke's house. It was one of the last ones towards the back of the Uchiha district. It was large and traditionally built in the shape of a rectangle, surrounding the center space. Shisui knocked on the door, really hard. So hard Yuuki was afraid the person who answered it would send them away rather than let them in like civilized people. She was surprised however to see a young boy open the gate with an expression of mild annoyance.

"Welcome back Shisui-sama" he grumbled under his breath. Clearly the two had history, unpleasant history at that.

"Hey! Rai-kun why don't you let us in. These people came to see Sasuke and Ita-chan".

Yuuki raised a brow to the nickname, "Ita-chan?"

Shisui grinned at her, "Didn't you know, I'm Itachi's best friend. We go way back to diaper years though with the way Itachi acts who could ever believe he wore one".

Yuuki laughed, the image of a chibi Itachi wearing a diaper was just too much. Suddenly she had an idea. "You know, I'd believe you…if I saw some pictures of it that is".

Shisui's grin grew wider, "You've got it sister. I know where Mikoto-chan keeps her secret stash".

Kyuubi chuckled, "I have to see this".

"Ah-hm Shisui-sama does Itachi-sama know you're coming?" asked Rai, his dark eyes eying each of them in a manner Yuuki wasn't quite sure she liked. What was his problem?

"Nope, but you're still going to let us in" chirped Shisui.

Rai glared, "And why would I do that. The master is in today and I don't want to get in trouble".

Shisui pretended to think on it. "Hm I sympathize with you, truly I do but if you don't let us in I still have a certain photo with a certain someone in a rather embarrassing pose".

Rai cheeks reddened as he slammed the slide door to the side. Reluctantly he stepped aside, "I will go announce your presence to Itachi and Sasuke-sama".

Shisui smirk, patting Rai on the head for extra measure. "See Rai-chan that wasn't so hard".

"If you will excuse me!" Rai said through clenched teeth and stormed off into the building.

They watched him go with bits of sympathy in their eyes. Naruto turned back to Shisui and shook his head. "Black mail huh. Do you have to use that every time?"

Shisui grinned, "Not always but it helps".

"He wanted to punch you, you know that right?" said Yuuki, feeling sorry for Rai but on second thought he was acting like an ass so erase that.

Shisui waved her off, "No worries, He always looks like that!"

Naruto and Yuuki gave him deadpanned expressions. "Dude one of these days he's gonna kill you".

"Won't matter till then. Sera-san do be sure to come to my funeral please" said Shisui, winking towards the blonde. The others laughed when Seras simply turned her head, causing him to deflate once more. "R-right well then I'll lead you to the audience room".

Naruto walked over to him and patted his shoulder, "Don't worry man she'll come around. It takes a while for them to see our brilliance".

That seemed to cheer Shisui back up; he hugged Naruto, crying buckets of tears. "Yeah man, you understand me don't 'cha little man!"

"That is sad" said Kyuubi, walking past the bro fest and into the house. Yuuki took one look at the two, shook her head and followed along with Seras. Great, now she had two babies to take care of. Once inside she paused, somehow it wasn't like she'd expected. The inside of the house was well…normal. She'd expected to see some haunted, desolate place without a speck of life but this. The entrance hall looked just fine. Standard wooden flooring, tatami mats, some hung scrolls and family pictures. It looked like a home, so how in the world did two of the most dangerous men in the world come from this home.

Yuuki shook her head; the old saying of looking beneath the surface was definitely the only thing she could think of. The skeletons must be piling high in this house because on the surface she couldn't see anything that would have make the two take the paths they did. Hell, now she sort of envied Sasuke and Itachi. They had this, this warm home and they'd dismantled it bit by bit. Sure it wasn't their fault but damn they had it good. Frowning at her thought patterns she decided just not to think of it. She couldn't face the two brothers, looking like she'd just eaten something sour. They'd ask questions or send her packing.

"Kit you coming?" asked Kyuubi.

Yuuki zoned back in to the present and realized everyone was already in the audience room. Kyuubi was standing by the door with that neutral look he has some times. She shook herself, since when did she think this hard on stuff. Man how nice it would be to young age, not caring about anything.

**You are young kit**

_Truly young Kyuubi and what are you doing reading my thoughts!_

**I don't know, just wanted to know why you were just standing there looking like you'd seen someone get castrated. **

_Very funny fluffy_

**What was that Kit?**

_Oh nothing…fluffy!_

She rushed into the room before he could retaliate. Everyone watch her spontaneous entrance with concern, including the woman with long dark hair that looked to be in her mid twenties. Yuuki blushed, scratched her head in a nervous manner and quickly took a seat by Naruto who was laughing at her under his breath. She frowned and jabbed him in the rib ever so slightly so no one stared at her again. Kyuubi came in, gave her the evil look that clearly said this wasn't over and took a seat by Seras.

"Well, I guess that would be everyone" said the brunette in front of them; she still had her apron on so she'd probably been cooking when they'd called her. She smiled at them, her eyes showing she'd recognized Naruto but still welcomed them. "Welcome, I am Mikoto Uchiha. I hope Shisui didn't give you too much trouble on the way here".

Naruto started doing the little evil giggles, "How much trouble is too much?"

"Hey! I thought we were partners little man?" said Shisui, feigning hurt feelings. **  
** Naruto gave him a sly look, "Depends".

"What do you mean depends?"

"What do you have to offer me if I make you look good?" whispered Naruto. Shisui glared; just glared that was his answer.

Yuuki watched them in mild amusement before turning her attention back to Mikoto. "It's alright Mikoto-sama. Shisui was a nice companion to have. He even helped catch me when I'd lost my grip of my crutches".

Mikoto smiled, but then looked trouble when she noticed the crutches. Yuuki had moved so well when she'd burst into the room, Mikoto had barely noticed them. Now she saw them stacked by Yuuki's feet and felt sorry. Yuuki noticed her looks and waved it off. "Oh don't worry Ma'am, it's not permanent. I'll be able to walk fine in a bit".

Mikoto's smile returned, a little bit more understanding this time. "I see, well then what may I do for you today?"

Yuuki blushed; she didn't know why she had. She just did and it was driving her up the wall. This situation of having reactions without even knowing why, it was getting annoying. Thankfully Seras came to her rescue. Go big sis!

"Sorry for intruding we were just around the neighborhood and thought we'd visit Sasuke and Itachi-san. We met at the festival last night".

"Oh, so you're the ones Sasuke was telling me about. I can see it now; you must be Seras-san right?"

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you" said Seras, bowing her head in greeting.

"And you must be Yuuki-chan, you're as cute as he said you were" said Mikoto, causing Yuuki to blush yet again. This couldn't be healthy; maybe she was getting a fever.

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you too Mikoto-san. I heard your birthday just passed recently from Itachi-kun. It's a bit late but happy birthday" said Yuuki and she honestly meant it too.

Mikoto gave her a warm smile, "Yes, I did. Thank you".

She fingered the necklace around her neck and Yuuki realized it was the one she'd picked out for Itachi at the store. She couldn't help but smile at that, so he'd given it to her after all.

Mikoto stood up with a start, startling everyone. "Oh dear, how rude of me. I haven't offered you anything to drink yet have I. Would you like some tea?"

Yuuki and the others politely tried to refuse but Mikoto wouldn't have any of it. She moved towards the other room, leaving the others themselves. Yuuki started twiddling her fingers like a certain Hyuuga heiress.

"Naruto?"

This perked her up; she looked towards the door Mikoto had gone out from and saw the Uchiha brothers. Sasuke and Itachi looked honestly surprised by their presence.

"Yo Sasuke!"

"What are you doing here?" asked Sasuke, blunt as always. Yuuki was glad to see some things hadn't changed. Seeing him smaller with innocent eyes had totally thrown her off.

Naruto gave him a wide grin, "We were just around the neighborhood and thought we'd pop in. You don't mind do you?"

_A little too late for that_, thought Yuuki with a raised brow but she didn't say anything. Her attention was more towards Itachi who seemed to be taking the surprise visit well. He's taken a seat across from them, watching them but his dark eyes stopped at her. She found herself looking back at him with just as much interest. Uchiha Itachi was such a mystery. Even to this day she couldn't figure out everything he was thinking.

"Oh, Sasuke, Itachi, I see you've met your guests. You should have told me you'd made such good friends" said Mikoto, bringing in a tray with cups with an attendant.

"This is Akiko-chan. Her Aunt sent her over to help me with the house work" said Mikoto, introducing the attendant at her side.

Yuuki nodded, re-introducing everyone to Akiko and bowed. She noticed that Akiko was rather pretty with a heart shaped face, high cheek bones and full smile. She smiled but found it weird when Akiko didn't return it. She shrugged it off and brought her attention back to the Uchiha brothers.

"How did you meet Shisui?" asked Itachi, looking towards his best friend who was still trying to get Seras attention.

"Oh you know. I helped them find your house" said Shisui, giving a nonchalant attitude about the whole thing.

Itachi gave him a questioning look but there was a secret nonverbal communication between the two. Yuuki couldn't help notice how strong their bond was as friends. She'd never thought Itachi could seem so human with another human being.

"Oh I know why don't we look at some pictures together" said Mikoto, just so glad her asocial boys finally had friends. Sure, she knew her sons were widely respected around the village but that wasn't enough to ease her mind. There is a big difference between respect and comradeship. She wanted people who could shoulder it all with her sons. Looking at the group gather in front of her, seeing the way they interacted with one another brought her heart so much joy. Seeing Sasuke get along with Naruto was especially intense for her. Had things done differently she felt Naruto wouldn't have had to go through all the pain he was going through. She could only hope Sasuke helped him through it all.

"Mikoto-sama, here's your personal Album" said Akiko.

Mikoto smiled, "Thank you Akiko-chan".

She turned towards the others, watching them lean forward with interest and her sons shrink away. Their usually pale faces had the slightest hints of red. Mikoto smiled, she opened the Album and on the very first page was a picture of baby Itachi. Yuuki looked at the picture, just stared and unable to believe it. She didn't know what took over next. "He's so adorable!" she squealed, actually squealed.

Naruto and Kyuubi laughed as they saw the blush rise on Itachi's cheeks. He looked uncomfortable about this whole thing. Sasuke had no problems sending his brother sly looks until his mother turned the next page. It was a picture of him with a baby spoon in his mouth, his cute cheek puffed out. The others took one look at the picture and started laughing. Yuuki couldn't help herself; she pulled Sasuke's cheek like a grandmother would. "Oh my poor little Sasuke!"

"Shut up! Mother please stop showing them such things!" said Sasuke, looking towards Itachi for support. He did a double take when Itachi just looked off into space. "Are you really going to let her do this?"

Itachi gave him a bland look, "You know how Mother gets with this stuff. You won't be able to stop her once she starts".

Sasuke sighed and cringed each time he heard an 'Aw' or a 'how cute'. Seriously if he could he'd find out where his mother hides this crap and he'd burn them all. Somehow, finally it came to an end and the aws stopped but the looks that followed were equally disturbing. They'd probably never see him the same way again. All those years of working hard to create his image only to have his Mom destroy it all in a minute. You've got to be kidding right?  
"You were so cute when you were a baby Sa-su-ke-kun" teased Yuuki, making sure to stress every character of his name. He glared.

"So Yuuki-chan, it's alright for me to call you that right?" asked Mikoto, glad to finally see Sasuke talking to someone of the opposite gender. She'd been afraid he'd go on in life thinking all girls were weak little things. Clearly he was giving Yuuki some consideration, if he wasn't she'd be out the door by now. Mikoto knew her son after all.

"You can call me anything you want Mikoto-sama" said Yuuki, giving the older lady a fair smile.

"Then it's okay to call you baka hime right?"

"What was that Sasuke, I can't hear you when you're mumbling" said Yuuki but the change in her irises from blue to red said she'd heard. He sniffed and looked away, slightly annoyed at the sight of her red eyes since they always reminded him of how he'd not yet unlocked his sharingans.

"Yuuki-chan, Naruto-kun you two are going to be joining the academy right?" asked Mikoto, trying to help her son create bonds as best she could.

Yuuki nodded, "Don't worry we'll look out for cute little Sa-su-ke".

The furious look he sent her way would have made even an adult cry and beg for forgiveness. Yuuki simply brushed it off since she'd seen worse in her time.

"Do you like Konoha so far?"

Everyone jumped, slowly they looked at Itachi. Throughout the whole picture viewing he'd been silent. To hear him speak now and in such a soft tone he usually only reserved for Mikoto or Sasuke shocked them all. Yuuki found herself blushing again since he was looking directly at her when he'd asked the question. She nodded her head, "Yes, I like it very much. It reminds me of home".

"Oh where were you from originally, if you don't mind me asking?" said Mikoto, intrigued to find out more about Yuuki and her group.

Yuuki felt the urge to scratch her head but thankfully Kyuubi saved her. "We used to live on the outskirts of Wind country".

Mikoto nodded her head, "I see, so you must be used to all sorts of weather conditions. Strange though Yuuki-chan and Sera have such fair skin for living in such harsh sunlight".

Yuuki looked to Kyuubi wondering how he'd lie his way out of this one. She could tell everyone in the room was far too interested in this conversation for her liking. She felt the urge to look at Itachi's face to see how he was taking the lies but refrained. At the moment she couldn't trust her eyes not to give away their lies.

Kyuubi lied smoothly, "I'd say that's because of her heritage. Most of her family has fair skin, no matter where they are born. I'm not directly related to the family so I can't say the same for myself".

Mikoto nodded, satisfied but Yuuki wouldn't be surprised if she brought this up again some other time. Despite herself, Mikoto was raised in a Shinobi village; distrust was part of her upbringing.

"I'm afraid we should be leaving now" said Kyuubi. Yuuki glance out the window and saw the sky had taken a pink tint to it. She hadn't realized they'd stayed so long. If they're plan was to go well they needed to get back to the cottage soon. They'd also need privacy so they'd have to find a way to drop off Naruto.

"Naruto, why don't you stay with Sasuke for dinner? I'm sure you're not ready to go right now and I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. Would that be okay Mikoto-san?"

Mikoto's eyes brightened at the thought, "Of course. Naruto-kun please do stay over, I don't often get a chance to entertain Sasuke's friends".

Naruto look from Yuuki to Mikoto to Sasuke. He looked utterly confused at the sudden change of events. To be honest he didn't want to be imposing in Sasuke's house but Mikoto looked so earnest about her request. He didn't want to have to say no to her. Luckily he didn't need to decide. Sasuke did it for him.

"Just stay and stop looking like a Dobe" said Sasuke with a smug look on his face.

Mikoto clapped her hands in delight, "Good, now you can get a chance to meet my husband".

Naruto brightened at the thought of getting to meet another member of Sasuke's family. Yuuki however wasn't so sure if she'd done a good thing now. She'd never had the honor of meeting Fugato Uchiha when he'd been alive and she didn't know whether he was an approachable person. From what she'd heard however she wasn't so sure.

"Good luck Naruto-kun. Then we'll be taking our leave"

"Allow me to walk you out" said Itachi, talking for the second time today.

Yuuki shrugged and left him walk beside her. Occasionally he'd look at her crutches but he was pretty nice about the whole thing. He didn't stare for too long nor did he comment. He walked them until they got to his gate, bowed and left.

"Well shall we princess?" teased Kyuubi. Yuuki glared at him, knowing he'd probably been thinking unnecessary things again. They headed straight for the cottage, once inside Yuuki dropped her crutches. They went back into the undergrounding training room and worked on her taijutsu for about another five hours. By that time it was sufficiently dark.

"Choose your weapons and we'll meet you at the ambush point. I have something's to check on before then" said Kyuubi.

Yuuki nodded, grabbed two daggers from the shelf in the first room and headed up the ladder. Before leaving the cottage she went back into her room and tied her hair, placing a short black wig over it. She tried to paint over her eyebrows with black eyeliner pencil to hide the true color of her hair. Once she decided she could be passed off as an Uchiha she removed her clothes and donned on the new uniforms Kyuubi had made. He'd said it would be best for her branch of the Hellsing family to have a uniform so they could be recognized as they grew.

To be honest Yuuki didn't think her organization would grow past herself, Kyuubi and Seras. Her uniform was a pair of black short with orange lining, a black tank top and outer jacket with the Hellsing symbol on its shoulder. Fully dressed and armed she headed outside now, sticking closely to the shadows and cutting through the forest. This would be her first mission since arriving back in the past, she refused to fail.

* * *

Okay that's the end of this chapter. I hope you liked it. Please don't feel shy, review and tell me what you think.

Chibi Narrator:…so busy…so busy..!

Itachi: Shouldn't you be going out now?

Chibi Narrator: Shit! Till next time folks.


	12. Chapter 12: saving the heiress

_Wait, I might hesitate, am I a minute too late?  
Please Lord, I need to know, this pressure's got me lettin' go  
If I'm wrong, will I still carry on and end up where I belong?_

_I've never felt this way before, I've never come so close  
I've never worn so thin, I'm stepping out instead of closing in  
Left myself behind when I made up my mind  
No turnin' back this time, this is my new design_

"_**New Design" by Thousand foot krutch**_

* * *

Chapter 12: To save an Heiress.

Yuuki rushed through the forest as fast as she could; using the route she knew the kidnapper would take. Once she was sure she was ahead of the game, she dropped by a tree, hiding in the underbrush. She waited and paced her heartbeat, slowing it as Seras had taught her till it only beat on her command. The night was silent; Konoha was yet to realize Kumo's betrayal. She scanned the forest, searching past the dark trees for a sign of her prey.

He came running, unaware and obviously overconfident. He was a man of average height and features, with choppy brown hair tied under a plain blue bandana. Yuuki felt her fingers curl into fist at the sight of a gagged Hinata, slung along his arm like a potato sack. Her anger was so fierce the stupid man was stunned. He paused in his sprint and squinted into the darkness with sudden apprehension. He reached for a kunai but Yuuki moved much faster, springing off the ground and kneeing him in the jaw.

The attack was strong enough to force him to involuntarily release Hinata. She saw this and grabbed hold of the Hyuga Heiress. She didn't fancy having him use Hinata as a hostage, nor did she want any distractions when she handled this asshole. She deposited Hinata in her hiding place from earlier, placing a light bit of genjutsu over her. The poor little girl looked so lost, so scared. Yuuki turned back to the man, her red eyes trying to burn a hole into his skull for his vile actions.

He'd been rubbing his bruised chin but at the sight of her rage he found himself frozen. He couldn't understand it, this girl was no different from the one he'd just been carrying a few minutes ago and yet she was. She reeked of the killer intent and bloodlust, only professional well seasoned Shinobi should have. He just couldn't bring himself to understand how she was doing this. Could Konoha have been training child soldiers? If so that was against the pact of peace the great villages had signed for after the last great war. There was a strict age limit for when a child could enter the academy at any village. Families could train their children before the academy but that was as far as the loopholes go.

He watched her; wary now that he'd had a taste of what she was capable of. They circled each other like predators, waiting for the first sign of weakness to strike. Yuuki watched him closely, relishing in the fear she could smell on him. He was trying to hide it well and if she wasn't half vampire maybe she wouldn't have been able to smell it. Ever since she gained this body her sense of smell was something else, sharper than before, with the ability to smell even more than just psychical things. She could smell his fear and it urged her on even more. Tired of playing coy she made her move.

It was swift and he'd probably barely had a chance to dodge. She lashed out with her daggers, aiming for his arms and legs to disable him. He was able to dodge the first strike to his left, but he wasn't flexible enough to avoid the sharp blade that followed. Yuuki twisted at her center and used the mwomentum to land a hit on his right shoulder. He howled and jumped back in pain, grabbing hold of the wound to block the bleeding. The look of pure hatred he gave her made her laugh. So he was getting angry at being bested by a child…fine, she didn't care. He'd hurt someone precious to her, he'd pay the price.

Taking her stance she held her daggers at eye level and paced herself. She advanced, pretending to feign an attack to his head. He blocked with a kunai and she took the opportunity to slam the heel of her boots to his stomach. Her attack made him gasp and she could tell he was winded but it wasn't enough. She was much smaller now; her hits didn't have the effects they would have were she a full adult. He'd recover from the attack soon enough.

"Who are you?" he asked through pants, finally breaking the silence.

Yuuki watched him closely, her daggers held close in case he was just trying to distract her. She wasn't sure if she should say anything. There was no fear; if words were not spoken they couldn't be told to another. If she made a mistake and said too much, her disguise as an Uchiha would end tonight. Still, as a shinobi she felt honor bound to at least give him a name. Just a month ago she'd been a man of 25 years; she understood the pain of being unacknowledged by an opponent. It would be a severe blow to any man's pride.

She sighed, "You don't deserve to hear it but I'll tell you this much. _I am the wind in the night, all evil that is spoken within the night I hear._ You planned to kidnap the Hyuuga Heiress for Kumo tonight didn't you?"

The man's brown eyes widened, "How did you know it was Kumo?" he gaped.

Yuuki smirked, it seems like she'd overestimated him. A competent shinobi would have tried to lie and defend the truth of his village to the last drop of his blood. This man hadn't even been able to last for that long. Ibiki will definitely have fun with this one. Sick of listening to his weakness Yuuki jumped into action. Slash, block, kick, cut, only those words meant anything to her now, everything else was noise. She tried to overwhelm him with a fury of jabs and strikes with her daggers.

Just when she was sure she'd driven him into a corner he jumped back into the foliage and she lost sight of him. Panting she scanned the horizon with her red eyes, catching every shadow in the moonlight but not her prey. She felt a bit of annoyance at this. Hiashi would be coming any minute soon; she didn't have time for hide and seek.

_There!_

She rushed for the tree to her left, ready to cut down her enemy. She'd never expected what came next. It had been fast, faster than she'd thought him capable of. She found herself being tossed back, several yards, unable to do anything but roll. She tried to get up but the familiar pain rushing through her at the moment kept her stapled to the ground. The electric currents flowing through her hurt like hell, causing her to jerk and twitch like crazy. She waited in pain for it to end as she knew it would. When it finally did, she got up slowly, her breath shaky.

"That's an interesting blade you have there. Tell me, _just where did you get that cursed thing!"_ she yelled, her red eye glaring holes at the Shinobi before her.

He'd come out of his hiding place, probably stupid enough to think that would be enough to stop her. The smirk on his face certainly says so. Yuuki watched him as he laughed at her, imagining with pleasure just how many times she would kick his ass.

"You mean Volt" he said, holding up his special kunai. Yuuki looked at it more closely; it wasn't what she'd feared. He didn't have the electric sword Ao had stolen. This one was entirely different but that didn't make being shocked and tasered any less annoying. "I found it in a cave, lying next to a pile of bones. Can you imagine my luck, hahaha!"

Yuuki watched him indulge in his false security. So that was why Kumo had entrusted him with this mission. It wasn't his skills; those were average at best. No, what they'd trusted in was his ability to taser anyone that came after him. Too bad, they hadn't accounted for her or Hiashi. A small shock like that would keep a normal person down after two rounds but they weren't normal. They were shinobi, high classed ones at that. Besides, speaking from the prospective of someone who'd been tasered a lot in her past thanks to a certain teme, this was nothing.

Yuuki took her stance once more, a vicious smirk of her own on her face. "Oh, so that's it. You think you can win because you suddenly have a new shiny toy. Let me tell you something, I've broken an electric weapon before. One of a stronger caliber than that toy you're swinging around. You won't win this one!"

"We'll see about that little girl" he rushed at her, using the same attack pattern. Yuuki knew, she saw it and with bored eyes she avoided his strike. Grabbing hold of the back of his shirt as he lunged helpless forward, she pulled hard. He watched in shocked as he was tossed against a tree by a child. But Yuuki wasn't done; she kept up her attack, knowing her time was running out. Pulling back her legs, she kneed him in the stomach with both of her knees. The shock was present in his eyes as he spat out blood, his grip on his kunai lost as he dropped it. At least that pesky problem was gone; pulling back her arm she aimed a firm punch to his face, rearranging it for him.

With him pinned to the tree she knew she had the advantage. She kept punching him, in the face, on the stomach, until she felt satisfied. With each hit the image of Hinata's gagged form appearing in her head, along with Neji's twisted outlook on reality. This man was the cause of all of that. Suddenly unable to stop the pure drive to destroy in herself, Yuuki knew she had to end it. Slapping her hand to the cold ground, she wrapped her legs around his neck and pulled him to the ground.

"What is the meaning of this child?"

She turned, trying to stop her heavy breathing. _So the guest of honor arrives…_

"I was only trying to stop him for you Hyuuga-sama. You were chasing him right? I thought I'd help" she said, keeping her voice bland like any Uchiha would.

"The Hyuuga clan needs no help child" said Hiashi, a stern tone to his voice but on the inside he felt entirely different. To some extent he actually felt thankful to this child. As he'd watched her fight the kidnapper for some minutes he'd been sure had it been him he'd have killed the man. That would have caused some complication if what the little girl had said was true. Could this man have really been part of Kumo? certainly looked that way. Still, it was astounding to see such a small girl fight the way she did. Just who was she?

"Who are you child?" he asked.

Yuuki watched him now, gauging his expression. Had he figured her out yet or did he believe she was a legit Uchiha? She hadn't used any fire jutsus during the fight because of her unstable chakra control at the moment. All she could rely on were her looks and the way she acts. She did her best to imitate Sasuke's nonchalant attitude. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you that Hiashi-sama. Hinata-sama is behind that bush, she is uninjured".

This seemed to snap his attention away from her and towards where she was pointing. Thankfully he believed her word and didn't activate his Byakugans. If he had her gamble would be up. Calmly he walked over to the bush and lifted Hinata's small form. Yuuki nearly blew her nonchalant façade. She was so startled to see Hinata's lavender eyes; they were looking at her with such admiration. Yuuki didn't think she deserved such honest emotions from the Heiress.

"You've done a rather rash thing Child. Still, for saving Hinata from the hands of this man you've done the Hyuuga clan a huge favor. We are in your debt, if there is anything I can do for you name it and I shall do it" said Hiashi, looking down at his daughter. His face was unreadable but Yuuki could sense a bit of reluctance. The pride of a Hyuuga; at least that proved he believed her to be an Uchiha, even a little. If there was anything a Hyuuga hated more than being in debt to anyone. It was being in debt to an uchiha.

Yuuki shook her head, "I'm afraid nothing comes to mind at the moment Hyuuga-sama. But don't worry should the time present itself, I will let you know. For now I suggest you take Hianta-sama back to the village".

Hiashi eyed her carefully and for a minute Yuuki feared she'd over stepped her boundaries. She still held a bit of fear in her heart towards him since their meeting in the future, in her past life as Naruto. But then he smirked and she knew the deal had been struck. He would help her someday.

"I suppose you're right. It is late and she needs her rest after this…unsavory event. What shall you do with him?" asked Hiashi, glaring down at the whimpering man trapped below Yuuki.

Yuuki looked at her captive for the first time in quite some time. "hmm, I think I'll drop him off by the Hokage's tower".

Hiashi raised a brow to this, "Why not hand him over to me now?"

Yuuki shook her head yet again, "once again, I'm afraid I can't do that. You see this guy just kidnapped your daughter right. Any father would want to skewer him right now, you're no different I presume. It would be a hassle if this guy died by the hands of Konoha. No, I'd rather hand him over to Ibiki alive and kicking".

Hiashi smirked, "A little sadist are we? Aren't you being even crueler than me? It would be a kinder fate to kill him than to hand him over to Ibiki".

"…"

"Fine, have it your way Uchiha" He stressed the last bit and waited for her to deny it. She didn't, that was what she wanted him to think after all. Believing to have a clue at least about the mysterious prodigy he continued to speak. "Do you need help moving him at least?"

Yuuki gave a confident smirk, something she didn't feel but couldn't show. This was the tricky part, Kyuubi was supposed to use his fire teleportation jutsu on her so Hiashi would be left in awe of her power. If it didn't work well, this could backfire.

"That won't be needed Hyuuga-sama. I have my ways" that was the queue. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the flames as they engulfed her and her catch. So Kyuubi had pulled through on his part.

Hiashi watched the mysterious girl disappear in a pillar of flames. A prodigy indeed, he didn't like Uchihas but he wouldn't mind finding out more about this one. She interested him, maybe if Hinata stayed with someone like her his daughter would grow a backbone and he could finally feel at rest. Sighing, he began to head back to the Hyuuga complex. The council of elders will have a field day with this, that he already knew and he didn't look forward to it. Within his heart he felt a bit bad because he knew Hinata's freedom would be cut even more after this. If only she'd become stronger, he wouldn't have to worry. He wouldn't be forced into these tough positions between being a father or the clan head.

* * *

Scene Skip-

Yuuki opened her eyes and blinked. They were in the alleyway close to the tower; she could still hear the sounds of the searching Anbu. Really for people that were supposed to live in darkness without a trace, they sure did make a lot of noise.

_**It's only because you're not fully human kit, that you can hear them**._

_I suppose, we should drop this guy off now, _She thought. Grabbing hold of his arms, she dragged him to the front of the tower. She chained him up, wrote a brief letter to the Third and high tailed it out of there. The Anbu should find him before long. Her mission was complete, now she could breathe easy for a bit. Using the shadows of the buildings she ran back towards the cottage. Seras and Kyuubi were waiting for her at the front.

Kyuubi lifted his hand and she noticed the sake bottles dangling from his fingers. "**Want to celebrate Kit?**"

She smirked, "Hell yeah".

Inside, they all plopped down on the couch and took swipes out of their sake bottles.

"_I see you guys are having a swell time over here_" said Alucard, materializing from nowhere and causing Yuuki to spit out her sake. Thankfully he was more of a specter so the sake went right through him; the look he gave her however showed how much he'd 'appreciated' that.

"**Oh and to what do we owe this late night visit?**" asked Kyuubi, lounging loosely in his seat.

Alucard gave his old friend a bland look. "_Oh nothing, just wanted to warn you that the rogue vampires are beginning to move. They seem to be looking for portals to this realm. It won't take long for them to find a rift with the way the war is dragging out on our end. You guys need to start moving now; you need to create the Hellsing organization here for when they come_".

The bottle froze at Yuuki's lips; she looked up to her grandfather. He was serious; there was no joke in his eyes. Things were really moving now, on both accounts. "hm, it seems like we can't play around anymore Kyuubi".

"**Hm, and I here I was looking forward to an early retirement**".

* * *

So this is the end of this chapter folks. I hope you liked it. Thanks to my dedicated readers. I focus on this story for you.

Chibi Narrator: Life sure is busy around here.

Itachi: Well you're finally getting a life, I would think it should.

Chibi Narrator: Can it or you'll never get to do perverted things to Yuuki-chan.

Itachi: …


	13. Chapter 13: rumor has it

Here's the next chapter I hope you like it. Please don't be shy read and review, I like to reply to them.

_Who are they?  
Where are they?  
How can they possibly  
Know all this?  
Who are they?  
Where are they?_

"_**They" by Jem**_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 13: Rumors have it…**

Fugato was a bit agitated today; the events of last night had gotten out to the public. The results while pleasant to some, wasn't for him. The mere idea that there was an unnamed Uchiha prancing around, playing hero irked him. He'd gotten a letter today from the Third asking him to attend a secret meeting with Hiashi. He already knew what they'd be discussing and the whole affair annoyed me. Getting dressed, he kissed Mikoto goodbye before heading out the door. Walking down the street, he greeted the other elders as they passed him. He could hear the whispers and conversations. The Uchiha district was no different than any part of Konoha really. Gossip still ran amuck here too. Everyone was talking about the mysterious Uchiha child fighter that took down the kumo nin, single handedly.

In all honesty a part of him did want to meet this mysterious child soldier. Walking calmly towards the Hokage Tower, he greeted the secretary. "The Hokage wanted to see me?"

She gave him a nervous glance, something he was used to. For some reason people were always falling over themselves around him. "Ah, yes sir. Right this way, Hiashi-sama has already arrived".

Fugato frowned at this; he didn't like being bested on anything by a Hyuuga. Not on time, or anything else for that matter. He followed the young secretary as she led him towards the Third's office. She seemed a lot calmer now that she wasn't looking at him, though he had to stop her from tripping over her feet once. She'd been blushing but did the proper thing and gave her thanks. Leaving her, he entered the room and shut the door behind him. Sarutobi was seating behind his desk, hands interwoven with that ever patient smile of his. At times like this Fugato could bring himself to forget the humiliation the Uchiha Clan has gone through over the years. But he couldn't allow himself to; he represented the Uchiha clan as their head. He held the precious memories of the past Uchihas, documented in secret scrolls. He couldn't allow himself to forget their feeling. Behind the kind old face, Fugato knew Sarutobi had partaken in some of the things that had brought shame to his brethren. He couldn't let himself be fooled into docility again.

"You called for me Hokage-sama?" he voiced, keeping his emotions in check. Hyuuga Hiashi was a very observative man, should he give himself away here his plans would fail to bear fruit. He calmly took his seat by his old teammate. "Good morning Hyuuga-san".

"Good morning Uchiha-san" reply Hiashi with the same amount of neutrality.

Sarutobi watched their interaction in silence, feeling the tension in the air. He really couldn't bring himself to understand the generation long feud between the two houses. He knew it'd started from some Uchiha's claims that the Byakugan originated from the Sharingan, but for it to last so long. He could never understand why it was always so easy for negative feelings to last generations. Whatever happened to 'live and let live'.

At least the two of them were civil to each other, that's more than can be said about previous clan heads. When Minato had been alive, these two had been kinder to each other, friends even. To think without Minato's shiny attitude as the glue, they'd grown so far apart. He had his suspicions that something was up with Fugato for awhile now. The man seemed to be getting darker, more withdrawn. Sarutobi hoped that by the end of Itachi's investigations his worries would be cleared as nothing more. He cherished the man's council after all.

Getting down to business he began. "I'm sure you both know why you've been called. Last night at eleven pm, a shinobi of unknown origin had kidnapped Hyuuga Hinata. I alerted everyone of the situation and the Anbu were dispatched. The culprit however was said to be caught by a nine year old girl. Hiashi would you mind describing what you saw, since you were the only one to walk onto the scene?"

Hiashi relaxed more in his seat. "I wouldn't mind at all Hokage-sama. I'd been following the man but he had a head start on me. When I'd finally caught up with him, he'd been engaging the child fighter. I didn't know what to do at the time but I'd thought it best to stay on the sidelines and watch. I noticed the girl looked like an Uchiha, she had black short hair, pale skin and red eyes. Her clothing style wasn't something I perceive a regular Uchiha would wear, but that aside. Her fighting skills were top notch; I would like to meet her instructor. What she lacked in strength she matched with speed. Through the fight with the enemy nin she seemed to have the upper hand, even when he brought out a electric kunai. She seemed to be able to withstand the blast for her small stature".

Sarutobi and Fugato listened attentively. For this mysterious girl to have gotten Hiashi to compliment her, she must be something. Fugato now really wished he knew who they were talking about; she'd be a great influence to his son, Sasuke. Still, it looked like Hiashi wasn't done so they stayed silent and let him finish his re-telling.

"Once she'd subdued the enemy nin, she'd just sat on him and waited. It was like she knew I would be the one coming after him. She hadn't been surprised to see me. I was actually quite surprised when she used a battle of logic and words to keep me from killing the man" mused Hiash.

Sarutobi sighed, "Well I guess that was a good thing. Had you killed him, we would have been put in a tough situation".

Fugato raised a brow to this; he wasn't above punishing criminals with death. "How so?"

Sarutobi rubbed his beard, "As you've heard from the rumors, the man had some connections to Kumo. They deny him, saying he was a rogue nin but somehow I doubt that".

Hiashi and Fuagto's faces both turned sour. If there was one thing they could agree on, it was their mutual hatred for Kumo. Being clans, whose Kekkei Genakis have to do with their eyes, they both knew the atrocities Kumo has done to acquire their traits. Both men hated that country with a passion and did their best to avoid it on missions.

"Had you killed the man Kumo would have changed their stand, of that I'm sure" said Sarutobi, keep them on track. He liked to see them getting along but he hated to think it was always because they had a mutual enemy.

Hiashi relaxed a bit more from his tense position. "So the little girl was doing me a favor after all. Fugato, I would like the chance to thank her properly".

Fugato looked at his former teammate and sighed, "So would I but I don't think any of the new generation of Uchihas fit your description".

The three men sat in silence for a time, thinking of how to make contact with this new mystery. Suddenly Sarutobi had a bright idea; he rummaged through his desk, careful of the paperwork. All he needed was to have the thing collapse on him, that would really make his blasted day. He retrieved a small blue note, placing it before the two curious men.

"We found this by the body of our knocked out kidnapper by the tower last night. It's a note telling me of what the man had been up to, as well as hinting towards his ties to Kumo" explained Sarutobi.

Hiashi and Fugato each took their time with the small note, examining it for clues. It had been handwritten. Whoever had done it had a very neat style of hand writing, with a unique way of curving their 'y's and'k's. Now it was Fugato's turn to rub his chin in wonder.

"I could make a copy of this at the station and try to match it with the hand writing of Uchiha children that fit her age and description" he offered, being head of the police department had its advantages. The men agreed on this point and planned to meet again the next day to discuss his findings. Fugato walked home in a better mood than when he'd left. He was curious about the supposed Uchiha girl, and on another matter the Hokage had placed this investigation in his hands. Lately, Fugato had been worried about the Uchiha clan losing power compared to the other clans' standing but this eased his worries a bit. The Hokage still trusted him to do this much. He couldn't lie to himself; it was at times like these he didn't mind staying in the village built upon the defeat of his ancestors. But he wasn't so sure about the rest of his clan, even if he should remove himself from the picture. He knew the other men of his clan felt insulted and they would act without him. Without him they'd be mere puppets to _that man_. To the shadow of an ancestor that claims he could restore them to their former glory.

Fugato walked through his front gate, gave Rai a prompt greeting and headed into the house. He could smell Mikoto's cooking. Were they having lemon cake today? Something good must have happened, usually his wife didn't stray too far from health meals. For her to indulge in baking a lemon cake now, something good must have occurred. With the stealth only a trained ninja could have, he sneaked up on his wife, glad the kids were gone so he could do this. He grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and rested his head on the dip of her neck. She smells lovely; he could still remember the time when her waist hadn't been so small. When she'd been pregnant with Sasuke, she'd never looked more perfect.

"Oh, I see you're back darling" she giggled, continuing with the glazing on the top of the lemon cake. Light, because she knew Sasuke didn't like sweets as much as Itachi. It was strange how that worked; you'd think it'd be the other way around. But Itachi was the one with the sweet tooth in the house. She leaned back into her husband; even through his yukata she could feel his strong abs and firm chest.

"Did something good happen today at the women's council dear?" he asked, nuzzling her neck, knowing that she got ticklish there. He smirked when she started giggled, playfully swatting away his head.

"Oh y-you need to stop that. I see I'm not the only one who's having a good day. Well, if you really want to know it's not about today really" said Mikoto, her voice distracted by the attention he was giving her neck.

"hm-hm" murmured Fugato, too busy leaving kiss marks on her neck to say much else.

Mikoto rolled her eyes; really sometimes this man could have a one track mind. "You remember yesterday, Sasuke and Itachi's friends came over. You met one of them; you know Naruto-kun?"

Fugato raised his head a bit to this, recalling the dinner with the kid. It had been different…He was actually surprised the kid hadn't buckled like the rest. He had been polite at first, stiffly so but as the dinner progressed he'd shown his true colors. He's voice gained some volume and he passed jokes with Itachi, occasionally teasing Sasuke. He'd never seen so much emotion on both his sons' face's as he had that night. He'd never even known they could make such expressions, especially Itachi. He'd been so sure the mere presence of Itachi would have caused Naruto to clamp up. He'd never expected Itachi's expression to soften, or for him to treat Naruto as though he were his own younger brother, trading jokes and such. Sure Naruto had done most of the talking for the whole family but the dinner had been different. In his opinion he didn't mind the Jinchuuriki coming over again.

There had also been something strange about that night. Every time Naruto mentioned his new friend Yuuki, Itachi's expression would change to something Fugato couldn't quite place just yet. Mikoto didn't seem to notice, something he found amazing. Since his wife was always trying to play the matchmaker and could sniff out the slightest sign of interest in anyone.

"Yes, that was different…I don't mind having Naruto around Sasuke" said Fugato when he noticed his wife was waiting for an answer.

She seemed to relax more into his arms, "That's good. I really wished you'd met Yuuki and her guardians Katsu and Seras. They seemed to be very nice people. Poor little Yuuki-chan's legs don't seem to be very strong yet, she uses crutches. I hope she gets stronger soon".

"She does hm…well I hope so too then. Are you happy right now dear?" he asked.

Mikoto turned around in his arms and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Yes darling, I'm really happy. Our sons finally seem to be making bonds of their own".

Fugato chuckled, pulling her into a deeper kiss. "Then how about our bond?"

Mikoto laughed at his obvious hint, placing her forehead to his and allowing their noses to touch. "I don't know, why don't you show me?"

He grinned, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her towards the bedroom. He could get working on the case of the mysterious Uchiha child later. He had more pressing matters now.

* * *

Scene Skip

_ Yuuki was running, running from something. A shadow, maybe, she didn't know. When she'd gained awareness within her dream she'd been running. She could feel the cold wet grass through her bare feet. The wind was whipping at her blonde hair and red dress, making it harder to run or see ahead. She didn't even know where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away from __**there**_, _away from __**them**__! _

_It was too foggy for her to see ahead so she tripped on a fallen branch. She became even more aware of how cold this place was as the water from the wet grass seeped into her dress. It clung to her now as she forced herself up, beginning to run again. But it was already too late; she felt a sharp wind at her side. It hadn't been a natural wind, that she knew. She felt a cold fluid run down her left cheek and she knew she'd been cut. Automatically, on instinct she covered the wound with her wet, dirty hands. Her blood was precious; she couldn't let __**them**__ have it. _

_She started moving forward again, as though she just knew something would save her if she could only get to it. But the shadows seemed to be growing; consuming everything around her still she was surrounded. She stopped and stood her ground within the ring of shadows. __**They**__ would not have her, she wasn't __**theirs**__. A part of the shadow slithered forward, forcing her to move back a step or have it touch her. It began to grow, to take the form of a man. He stretched out his claw like hands to her, and even though he was still nothing but a dark mass of shadow she could tell he was smiling. An evil smile that could suck out the light of anything good, a smile she never wanted to see. _

"_Why do you run pretty? You'll be mine soon, just give in and ride out the darkness. I assure you it will be beyond pleasurable for you" said the shadow man, his voice making her shiver._

_Yuuki glared, "I don't know you"_

_That smile again, "But you will…."_

_Yuuki felt herself being pulled back, propelled like something was yanking her back._

Twisting and struggling with the strong hands holding her, she opened her eyes. She was in her room, Kyuubi was right above her. His red eyes were glowing; they looked so pretty, like molten fire.

Gasping she looked around for Seras, she'd had nightmares before in her past life. She knew just how terrible she could be when held in the throes of one. Thankfully the vampire assistant was standing by the door, a wet towel in her hands. She wore the expression of concern. Yuuki couldn't understand it all, not the dream or why they seemed so concerned. Nightmares were a normal thing for shinobi, with what they did and all. Kyuubi had seen her through many of them in the past. Why did he seem so bothered by this one?

"What's going on?" asked Yuuki, her voice sounded horse even to her ears. She must have been screaming for quite some time. Pulled herself up, she leaned her back against the bed board and waited till her heart stop racing.

Kyuubi seemed to have relaxed a bit now too. He let out a breath he must have been holding. "Nothing much, you were just having a really bad nightmare".

"Just that?" asked Yuuki, not sure a little nightmare would be enough to scare Kyuubi so much.

"Just that" he said, getting up from her bedside. He walked over towards the door. "I'll be in the living room when you're done changing".

Yuuki frowned, "Why would I need to change? I was only taking a nap".

Kyuubi chuckled, "It seems you haven't noticed it but you're completely soaked through. You sweat like a pig kit".

Suddenly Yuuki realized she was cold, very cold at that. Her hands were shivering but it wasn't only because of her wet clothes. Maybe it was just her imagination, but the same places in her dream that had been wet were the same places wet on her clothes now. Coincidence? She wasn't so sure but the mere thought of her dream made her shivering worsen. She never had a dream like that one, it was usually her memories she dreamed about. She flinched when someone's cold hand touched her chin, much like that creepy shadow guy had. But it was only Seras, her worried eyes searching her master's to see if she was completely alright. Yuuki gave her a little smile for her benefit and got up all together.

She walked over to the bathroom, deciding it was best to just shower and wash it all away. The dream, her sweat, she wanted to wash it all away and start fresh. "Seras can you place a change of clothes by the sink?" she called out.

Seras smiled, "sure".

She went into Yuuki's dresser, looking for something cute and reasonable for Yuuki's lessons. She'd been taking lessons with Kyuubi when she'd gotten sleepy and he'd asked her to take a break. Seras had to admit, she had been scared when she'd heard her mistress screaming so hard and clawing at herself. It was like she'd been fighting off something in her dreams.

_That one!_

Her depressed thoughts were distracted once she found just what she'd been looking for. She pulled out a stripped black and red low-neck sweater, a white skirt and stripped stockings. She dropped them by the sink and exited the room. She had things to discuss with Kyuubi herself. He was in the living room as he said he would be, lounging on the couch with a drink in his hand. His expression looked far away. He looked very handsome that way.

"Kyuubi-san?"  
He turned towards her slowly, as though he had to wrestle himself away from his thoughts. "What may I do for you young Seras?"

She frowned at the name but let it slide, "What happened in Yuuki's dreams? That wasn't a normal dream. She should have woken up after you slapped her. You had to use your powers to pull her out of it".

Kyuubi nodded, it seemed like she'd hit the nail on the head. "It bothers me too. She's attracted the attention of a dream-walker. I just hope it's a new person testing out his/her abilities. I'd rather it not be the well known dream-walkers, all of them would be bad news for Yuuki at the moment".

"They're that strong?" asked Seras, taking a seat of her own.

Kyuubi to a swig of his drink, "Worse than bad; if I hadn't been as powerful as I am, Yuuki would have been trapped in that nightmare for the rest of her life. Or worse taken to wherever the dream-walker existed".

"hmn" Seras looked towards the balcony, taking in the setting sun. Once Yuuki's lessons were done, along with her night training she would have to go back to sleep. What if she wasn't as strong as Kyuubi, could she bring her mistress back if her dreams were attacked again? Seras didn't like the thought, it made her uneasy and she began to fidget.

"Okay! I'm ready. Hit me with what you got ya old fox" said Yuuki, in good spirits despite what just happened. She'd probably just decided to discard the dream. Good for her I guess. She took a kneeling seat by the center table, opened her books and scrolls to where they'd stopped before her nap. She looked towards Kyuubi and the drink in his hand; it was unusual for the old Fox to drink while they were performing her lessons. Yuuki raised a brow to this but got back to what she'd been doing, reading over the lost history of the world and taking his mock exams.

The lesson today had been more grueling than before but she'd like to think she'd learned more, this time. Learning about the 21th century wasn't easy, but at least she got the basics of how things were; the countries, the politics and customs. She got up and stretched, her legs had almost gone numb from kneeling for so long. She looked towards Kyuubi, he'd moved out onto the balcony for the last bit of her book lessons. "Ready for the physical part now! My brain feels like mush".

He chuckled, "Your brain's always been mush, I know, I lived it in was upon a time".

She gave him the middle finger and headed back over to the secret entrance to the underground facilities. Pulling the switch to move the TV, they all headed down the ladder. Today she was supposed to work on her chakra exercises; since there were no trees she was to try walking on the cave walks. Since it had a rather uneven texture that went from smooth to rough, it would be more than a challenge for her. Encouraging herself to give it her best and trying to visualize success, she moved towards the rougher part of the wall first. Best to tackle the hard part first, placing chakra to her feet she took the first step. Taking a tentative second step she started up slowly, making sure her chakra flow was consistent before taking more confident steps. She was halfway up the high cave wall when she lost her timing and fell.

Thanks to her new body the fall hadn't been as bad as it would have been for her past human self. Getting up, she tried again this time sure she could reach the top. She didn't, but on the third go she did and the smile on her face could light up the sky. Kyuubi had to give it to his little girl, she was a fast learner. That was just something that wouldn't change; no matter what life she was living.

"Now try the smoother surface and in between" said Kyuubi, his arms folded as he watched her progress. Yuuki nodded, instead of jumping down and starting over from the smoother side she began to walk towards it while staying on the wall. Kyuubi smirked at her thinking; she was being an overachiever again. He watched her get to the smoother side and fall, not ready for the change in her chakra. She got up and went back to the rougher side, climbing it with ease now that she'd gotten used to it and tried to cross over to the smoother side again. This time she lasted for a couple more steps and then lost the tempo. He watched her try, fail and then succeed for about an hour before he decided they should move on to taijutsu.

Just as before, he had her spar with Seras, teaching and correcting both from the sidelines. At first he simply let them freestyle, before cracking down on the more politically correct moves. He could see that the real-time battle with the kumo nin had helped Yuuki greatly. Somehow she'd gotten used to her new body and her timing had gotten way better. She was actually performing some of the moves she'd done in her past life, changing them to suit her new body. By the time they were done, Yuuki was sweating and Seras would've been too if she weren't dead. He walked the two back to their rooms, but this time Seras seemed troubled.

"Can I stay in Yuuki's room tonight? I know you worked so hard to complete mine but I really like having her sleep beside me" said Seras, not meeting his eyes.

While he could tell her feelings were sincere, he knew that wasn't the only reason. He waved it off though. "Do what you like, I'd beat and I'm going to sleep. Seeing you two fight wasn't as exciting as it should have been anyway".

Yuuki glared at this, her eyes turning red. "And what do you mean by that fox?"

Kyuubi shrugged, "What? you know, it's sort of a man's dream to watch two sexy women fight. Too bad only one of you has got a body".

Yuuki was glaring hard now, her mouth spitting out fire. "Well, if I remember correctly there are some of your genes in this flat body of mine! Think about that next time pedo!"

She stepped on his foot and rushed to her room. Seras watched Kyuubi'd expression soften as he watched her go. He turned to her abruptly, "Take care of her Seras" and then he was gone.

It was like he'd never been there, she heard his door way down the hall shut and she shivered. She'd never thought anyone could match master Alucard's speed, she hadn't even seen him move. It's like he became one with the shadows.

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter, review if you like. I tried to introduce one of the threats in this story.

Chibi Narrator: damn schools back. Bloody book prices will send me to my financial grave!

Itachi: You need them, that's all you need to think about.

Chibi Narrator: I wonder sometimes, do I really? I could just become the class room leech and leech onto the next person beside me.

Itachi: And after a time everyone would avoid seating next you.

Chibi Narrator: You would wouldn't you, cheapskate.


	14. Chapter 14: What to believe

_Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough_

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me  
And just forget the world?_

"_**chasing cars" by snow patrol**_

* * *

Chapter 14: What to believe.

Once again Fugaku found himself seating before the Hokage, with Hiashi at his side. He'd taken the next day to review the Uchiha files, in hopes to match the writing style on the note to one of the Uchiha children filed. But he'd been unsuccessful, try as he might he couldn't find a piece of writing that matched. So the three men found that they were back to square one. They sat now, each with a perplexed expression, staring at that one piece of blue paper.

"There were no records" said Sarutobi, it was a statement. They all knew the results of fugaku's research, still maybe saying it would change something. Maybe he'd realize something he'd missed…still it seemed highly unlikely. If there was ever a clan built on perfection, it was the Uchiha clan. If there were any loopholes Fugaku would have found them by now. They really were back to square one. Sarutobi sighed; he was really getting too old for this kind of thing. Chasing down a vigilante, really things were getting interesting around here.

Hiashi leaned back in his chair, "Hoka—"

But he didn't get to finish his sentence before Naruto came busting into the old man's office. Fugaku and Hiashi glared at the boy. To be fair, they were two very frustrated men having a rather bad day of no results. If you were in their shoes, you'd glare too. Naruto seemed to understand his mistake a step too late. He inched back a bit. Sure he recognized Fugaku, but he didn't recognize the man seating beside him with the long black hair and white eyes. Come to think of it those eyes looked very familiar, like a certain little girl he'd seen at the festival. Naruto felt a ball of dread well in his stomach, what if he'd just made a bad impression on her uncle or something. He felt like running around in circles and screaming this didn't just happen. All he'd wanted to do was invite the old man to Yuuki's house warming party for Seras.

"Young man, you will do well to remember to knock next time" said Hiashi, his voice leaving no room for games. Naruto gulped and nodded. It was all he could do. Fugaku watched the scene with mild amusement. He always found it amusing to watch Hiashi get annoyed. The man had quite a way with kids, note the sarcasm. Sarutobi decided it was time he stepped in, before Naruto said something he shouldn't. The poor boy would probably find himself being jyuukened in seconds.

"Naruto-kun, why are you here so early?" asked the old man, a fond smile on his face as he saw the excitement seep back into the boy's features. It was like watching a sad puppy get excited again, the boy was practically bouncing on his feet. If he had a tail, it would be wagging. Something he noted was irritating the two men seating in front of him.

Naruto grinned, "Oji-san, Yuuki is having a house warming party! She invited me and said I can bring my friends and I was kind of wondering if you were free?"

The three men frowned; the name seemed familiar to at least two of them. They looked at each other, each with their other own reasons for the sudden interest in the subject. Fugaku wanted to meet the girl that had caught his eldest son's attention. Sarutobi wanted to meet the cause of Naruto's recent happiness and hopefully give them enough backing so they didn't chicken out of staying with the boy. He'd also been planning to visit the cottage to get the legal property papers (damn them) filed. The whole mysterious Uchiha child thing had been so distracting; he'd forgotten to ask Naruto for the directions. This seemed to be the golden opportunity, besides their research was getting nowhere. From years of study as the professor, he knew at times it was good to back away from something and focus on something else then return to the problem. One could find something they'd missed before.

"But Naruto-kun aren't there any other kids your age you'd like to introduce Yuuki to?" asked Hiashi, finding it strange that the little boy found a man as old as the Hokage to be a playmate. Naruto frowned a bit here, and then he noticed Fugaku and grinned.

"Can Itachi and Sasuke come!" he asked.

Fugato shrugged, he didn't mind. Maybe he could witness more changes in Itachi's demeanor if he was around this 'Yuuki'. He looked towards Sarutobi, "My son is still on his break, correct?"

Sarutobi nodded, "For another week, yes".

Fugaku nodded, "Then Naruto-kun, I'll inform them when I head back home today. What time is this house warming party?"

Naruto scratched his head a bit and for a minute all three men were worried he'd forgotten. This may not be a problem for the boy but for Fugaku and Hiashi it was a rather big one. One did not come to a gathering too early before the time or late. It was bad etiquette. Thankfully, he seemed to have remembered. "It's at 1:30".

Fugaku looked towards the clock in the room. It was 12:30 at the moment. That didn't leave him or his sons much time to find presents for the party. Really this kid had bad timing on a lot of things. He sighed and turned towards the Hokage, "I'd better get going then, if I and my sons are to get ready. By your leave Hokage-sama".

"I agree, I think I'll bring Hinata and Hanabi. They could always use friends" said Hiashi, finding the prospect of his shy daughter making friends a good thing. He and Fugaku stood, both bowing to the Hokage and left. Naruto watched them go with a mix of awe and curiosity. He turned back to the old man, a massive grin on his face. "Oi oji-san, when I become Hokage they'll be bowing to me too right?"

Sarutobi shook his head, really the things Naruto cared about. "Naruto, the position of Hokage is much more than just getting people to bow down to you. It takes understanding, knowledge and determination to see that things are going right in the village. For the most part you'll be behind the desk filing things away and signing things".

Naruto pouted, his baby fat showing as he cheeks puffed out. "That's no fun. I'd get someone else to do it".

Another shake of the head, "And what if they sign something you don't like?"

This seemed to get the blonde boy to think, his left eyebrow kept twitching from the effort. Finally he reached his limit and blew up. "It doesn't matter; I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Oji-san if you don't hurry we won't be able to get Seras-chan a present!"

Sarutobi frowned, "You haven't bought her a present yet? Do you need an advance in your pocket money?"

Naruto shook his head; he didn't like relying on Sarutobi's money. "That's not it. I've save up well from last week. It's just the store owners to the really cute stores won't let me in if you're not there".

Sarutobi's expression darkened, knowing just how true Naruto's words were. Some of the villagers still wouldn't accept the boy as a human being. They'd tolerate him while he stood beside the boy, but once he was gone all he could do was worry. He didn't like the way Naruto was treated but if he acted too much on the situation. The people would say he was favoring the boy and that would cause a problem in the council. They'd say his words were impaired by affection. He couldn't let anyone question his decisions. They were the only things keeping more unfortunate things from coming down on little Naruto's head.

He smiled at the boy, noticing he'd let his worries show and now Naruto was equally worried for him. "Then let's go get Seras something very cute".

"Yup!" said Naruto, pumping his fist into the air and rushing out the door. Sarutobi sighed; despite everything Naruto seemed to have a way to deal with it. As long as the boy was still as hyper as this, he had nothing to worry about. He followed Naruto out the tower and into the village market place. He noticed Naruto was absolutely enjoying the shopping. He'd look from one thing to the next, always touching and curious. It made him wonder why.

"Naruto-kun, do you like shopping?"

Naruto nodded his head, a big smile on his face as he ran towards a pretty crystal hair pin.

"Why?"

Putting down the hairpin on the counter, he turned back to Sarutobi. "Because I don't get to do it often, I can only do it when you're around or those Anbu guys".

"I see…" said Sarutobi, his voice lowering a bit as he looked towards the shop clerk. She seemed to be in her teens and there was no animosity in her interaction with Naruto. It must have been her manager that ordered her not to let Naruto in. Sarutobi sighed; he'd have to have a talk with the store's manager. Sure, he said he wouldn't act out too much on Naruto's behalf but this was ridiculous. It was hurting both the boy and Konoha's economy. It was a valid problem. They bought the pin and headed towards the village gates.

Sarutobi enjoyed the walk through the forest. He'd been cooped up in his office for so long, it felt great to feel the fresh air. Naruto seemed to be enjoying himself, rushing forward only to come back and urge him to follow. To be honest he didn't remember this path. Which was funny, since part of being the Hokage was knowing everything about your village. To think there was a secret path here, concealed by trees and bushes.

The cottage came into view soon enough. Sarutobi had to give it to its creator; they knew how to handle their wood. The project looked sturdy with the gentle touch only a home could have, with the smoking chimney. Naruto rushed up the front porch steps and knocked on the door. Sarutobi noticed, despite his age and experience he was a bit nervous about who would open the door. He'd finally get to meet the infamous 'Yuuki'.

She was a small dainty thing, pale with fair skin and platinum blonde hair bordering on the line of silver. Her light blue eyes seemed to glow at the sight of Naruto. She smiled and for a minute, Sarutobi couldn't help but thinking if Naruto had a sister. This is what she'd look like, maybe a bit tanned like Naruto but facts were the two look very much alike. He noticed she was using crutches and he felt a bit bad for her. He hoped she got well soon. Stepping forward he made himself known.

"Naruto, you came! And early too" said Yuuki, chuckling at his blushing face.

"Hello, Yuuki was it?"

Yuuki froze at the sound of his voice. In truth, there were many reasons why she hadn't met the Sarutobi of the past face to face. But she knew that deep down, she was just afraid. It was like having your favorite candy or toy back, only to worry about it being taken away in the blink of an eye. Some part of her still couldn't believe all this, believe that the people who had died were alive and well here. She'd been afraid the moment she saw his face, wrinkles and all she break down crying uncontrollably. Much like she was now. Yuuki sniffed and tried to hide her face behind her hands but it was no use.

"Is something wrong Yuuki?" asked Naruto, wondering if he'd upset her. This was the first time he'd seen her cry and to be honest it was scarier than the time she'd been screaming in the garden. He reached over and hugged her on instinct. It wasn't something he'd been taught, having no parents and all. But he'd seen other kid's parents do it enough times to know, a hug meant something. Eventually Yuuki was able to control her tears again. She wiped her eyes and looked towards Sarutobi to gauge his reaction to her sudden outburst when she noticed there were more people now. She blushed as she realized Shisui, Sasuke, Itachi, Fugaku, Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi had bore witness to the scene.

Shy, embarrassed and dumbfounded, she found herself hiding behind her bangs and welcomed them. "Hello…my name is Yuuki Hellsing. Welcome to our cottage. Thank you for coming today".

She opened the door and stepped aside, allowing everyone in before closing it behind her. She then moved towards the front, taking the lead and directing them towards the living room. Seras was seating on the couch, decked out in a nice loose white and red shirt with an inner black tanktop. Her form fitting deep blue pants were enhances her long legs as she stretched out to get up, to greet their guests. She smiled at them, her eyes lingering a bit on Shisui.

"Welcome everyone, Yuuki has probably already told you this but thanks for coming to my house warming party" said Seras, bowing a bit. She noticed the presents in their hands, feeling a little giddy inside. She offered, "You can just place the gifts there for now" she motioned towards empty space at the center table. "I'll go get drinks, Kyu—Katsu's almost done cooking. Yuuki when you're done catching up come help me set up the plates".

"Okay" said Yuuki, a bit nervous to be left in the room with all these people. She motioned to the chairs and coughs, "You can have a seat if you'd like. Once Katsu's done we can go to the garden to have the rest of the party".

"Thank you" said pretty much everyone as they each took their seats. Yuuki made a nervous smile as she took her seat, opposite Fugaku and Itachi. She noticed Hiashi's eyes followed her as she put away her crutches. For once she was glad she'd listened to Kyuubi's advice. He was wondering, no doubt, if she could have been the mysterious Uchiha girl two nights ago. The crutches were a big deterring factor.

"So Yuuki, when did you move here with your guardians?" asked Sarutobi, trying to gauge some facts.

Yuuki started placed her hands on her lap, so she didn't start fidgeting by mistake. "About a month ago, give or day a few days. I like Konoha very much Hokage-same".

Sarutobi nodded, smiling back to put the nervous girl at ease. He seemed to have an effect on her demeanor. "I'm glad to hear that. I see you've been taking care of Naruto-kun, you have my thanks. The prank rates of the village have gone down quite a bit. A commendable job".

Yuuki blushed, while Naruto grinned. "Oji-san don't say it that way. It wasn't that bad!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You put glue on the receptionist's desk pen in the tower".

Shisui and some of the others gapped, "That was you! Have you any idea how long it took to get my fingers unstuck! My fingers still twitch from time to time man".

Naruto's answer to that was to stick out his tongue. Yuuki and Hinata chuckled, causing them to smile at each other.

"Besides Yuuki is not as innocent as you think. She…!" before Naruto could finish his statement he found himself focusing all his attention to head. That had recently been hit with one of Yuuki's crutches, curtsy of Yuuki. He glared and she avoided his eyes, catching Itachi's dark ones. She felt her cheeks heat up again but thankfully anyone could mistake it for anger towards Naruto for his comment.

"Yuuki-san…" whispered Hinata, hesitant to ask her question. To be honest, she felt out matched in the room full of so many important people. She'd only seen Fugaku and his sons a few times during clan meetings and get-togethers. She knew of their reputations and it made her feel smile.

Yuuki could see it in her eyes, how she tried to hide behind her bangs. She smiled, thinking back to her past life with Hinata. The Hyuuga heiress had always been shy, biting her lips at times when she didn't know how to go about something. Yuuki thought it was cute; she offered Hinata a friendly smile. "Yes, Hinata-chan?"

This made the girl blush, "How old are you?"

Yuuki chuckled, fussing over such a simple question so like Hinata. "I'm nine. I'll be turning ten in October".

"Just like Naruto-kun!" said a shocked Hinata, which equally shocked everyone in the room but Yuuki. To think the shy Hyuuga heiress was interested enough in Naruto to find out his birthday was a shock to most. Hiashi had never even thought his daughter had eyes for a boy. Now he knew he'd have to watch the Uzumaki boy more closely. So far he didn't approve of what he saw.

"That's right Hinata-chan, be sure to come to our birthday party okay. We wanted to celebrate it together, right?" she glanced over to Naruto who was blushing. He hadn't been paying attention, probably daydreaming about Hinata knowing his birthday when most of the kids his age don't. When he realized everyone was looking at him now he, faulter, quickly giving a nod of his head. "Yeah, please come. Is it alright for me to call you Hinata-chan too?"

Hinata blushed, nodding her head but unable to say anything. The adults smiled at the cute scene this was turning out to be. They noticed Yuuki had the same fond smile on her face. Fugaku knew that smile, it was the same one his wife had when she was trying to bring two people together. So Yuuki was one to meddle hm? He chuckled a little inside at the thought. Speaking of affectionate feelings he hadn't been able to gauge his son's reaction to Yuuki yet. Sasuke seemed to be at ease with the girl, something Fugaku never thought possible after the horde of fan-girls. But Itachi, the one he really wanted to understand was doing a good job of hiding his feelings.

"Yuuki! Can you come help me set the table?" called Seras.

Not thinking, Yuuki bolted up, standing up without her crutches and headed over to the kitchen. Everyone just sat there in an awkward silence. What the hell!

Naruto gave a dry cough, scratching his head a bit. "That happens sometimes. Her injury is getting better; sometimes she can walk for a bit before she gets tired. I've seen her training herself to walk once…"

Hesitantly everyone accepted the explanation, but the adults looked to one another. They'd talk about this possibility later. Itachi placed his hand to his chin, with an interested expression. "So she can walk for a time is what you're saying".

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, like the last time you saw her she was on a wheelchair right?"

Itachi and Sasuke nodded, they'd noticed. "Then I'd better give these to her, for when her strength wears out" said Itachi. He stood up, took hold of her crutches and headed to follow her.

Fugaku raised a brow to this; Itachi wasn't the kind to go out of his way for a girl. There was definitely something there. "Hiashi, tell me what you see".

The others looked towards him, surprised to see his eyes a blood red with the sharingan tomes swirling around. Sasuke gapped openly, this being one of the few times his father ever used his sharingan openly. He looked so cool in Sasuke's mind. He couldn't wait to achieve his. Hinata and Hanabi looked to their father and his byakugans were on. His face seemed to be scrunched from a bit of frustration. It was like there was something he couldn't bring himself to understand.

* * *

Scene Skip

Yuuki walked into the kitchen but stopped short at the annoyed look Kyuubi was giving her. She frowned, what? She wasn't making fun of his frilly pink apron yet so that wasn't the problem. "What's wrong, why the strange look?"

Kyuubi rolled his eyes, "Because a certain someone forgot her crutches and is now walking around like everything's just peachy".

Yuuki looked at herself, and yes indeed her crutches were nowhere to be seen. She blushed and scratched her head in embarrassment. "I forgot…" she tried; Kyuubi didn't seem to want to buy it. So like a sensitive retailer she stopped pressing the sell.

"Here are the plates, help Seras set up the table. Oh and hon be sure not to drop any of those" he warned, his red eyes glowing. Yuuki gulped, if there was one thing she knew about the fox. It was that he hated wastage of food. Nodding, she carefully took the plates and headed to the garden. On her way she seemed run into a black silk brick wall. She frowned as she began to fall back. As the plates went flying she wondered what evil punishment Kyuubi would bestow upon her. Or would he just serve her head on a silver platter in exchange. But the plates never hit the floor and neither did she for that matter. Strong arms grabbed hold of her, holding her close. She looked up, her breath catching in her throat.

Itachi stood above her, his dark intense gaze making her blood feel like it was on fire. Mortified by the strange emotions she had towards the elder Uchiha and their current position. She jumped out his arms and held onto the door frame. He looked as startled as she, once she was out of his arms. There was an awkward silence, as he handed her back half of the plates and carried the rest.

"So you can walk without the crutches sometimes?" he asked, setting aside her crutches and moving towards the garden. Yuuki started, not expecting the question even though she should have.

"…Y-yeah, sometimes. I told you before remember, I'm getting better" she said, hoping he understood that she'd never truly lied to him. When they got to the garden, Seras gave both of them a glance, frowned and then went back to fixing up the table. They didn't say anything else as they fixed the plates and cutlery. But at times Itachi would sneak glances at Yuuki, watching the way the bright sun illuminated her soft skin and light hair. She looked adorable trying to shield her face with her hair. Occasionally he'd catch a shot of blue behind the golden veils, the times when she'd take secret glances at him. He smirked and continued to fix up the plates and chopsticks.

Once they were done Seras went back in to call the rest of the group. Upon entering the living room, she was startled to see Hiashi and Fugaku with their bloodlimits out. Kyuubi had told her about them but she'd never seen it before. It looked strange to her, a bit painful in Hiashi's case and scary in Fugaku's. She must have shown some of her unease because Shisui came to her rescue.

"Hey guy's we're guests here. I think it would be best to put away the bloodlimits for now. Don't you Hokage-sama?" he tried to ignore the scathing glares from Hiashi and Fugaku. They fry him later for calling them 'guys', no doubt. Still it seemed worth it when Seras eased up at the dismissal of the bloodlimits. She actually smiled at him.

"Lunch is ready everyone. I'll lead you to the garden" said Seras, noting how Hinata perked up at the word garden. Hanabi didn't seem to care much for the flowers but Hinata seemed genuinely curious. Seras had a feeling if her Dad weren't here, Hinata would be bouncing from flower to flower, asking questions about each. She gave the shy girl a smile when their gazes met, hoping she didn't recede back into her shell. Naruto whistled upon seeing the make-shift dining tent they'd pitched in the garden.

"I'm guessing Katsu did the tent?" said Naruto, noting the tent was a nice red with exciting black swirls.

"You know it kit"

"Katsu!" Naruto snapped around, along with everyone. No one had sensed him coming, not even the Hokage. They watched as the tall man, walked gracefully into the garden. He was taller than the average man, towering over even Itachi. His looks were both masculine and feminine, with long red locks of hair and blood red eyes, not to mention long black nails. Sarutobi thought his pupils were slitted but that couldn't be, so his old mind must be playing tricks on him. This Katsu stretched out him lean yet muscline hand to shake his. His grip was firm, with calluses that spoke of a hard-worker.

"Welcome to our home Hokage-sama" said Kyuubi, finding it easy to play the host to the man that helped seal him away all those years ago. He didn't min so much now; he'd gotten much out of the deal anyway. Yuuki and Naruto were his after all.

His shook the hands of the rest of the adults gathered, shaking Itachi's last, a bit harder than he had the others. Itachi and Fugaku noticed. Everyone got seated, and the adults were a bit put off when Kyuubi made Yuuki seat between him and Seras. They acted as good shields, diverting all unwanted attention from her and answering the harder questions. Fugaku had been hoping they could have been able to talk her into telling them more about her past. Maybe giving them big clues to who she really was but with her guardians there, there was no chance. Even Seras who seemed to be occupied with Shisui's flirting, took time to defend her charge from their probing once in awhile.

The kids however had a good time, not taking heed to the information war taking place behind the scenes. Those who did notice like Itachi, allowed it to continue because he too was curious about Yuuki Hellsing. She was a puzzle, one he couldn't solve and at some point he stopped caring about solving. He just wanted to know her now. Once the party was over and everyone had to leave, there was a bit of mutual disappointment in the air for many reasons. Hanabi, though entirely different from her elder sister had actually come to like this Yuuki as much as Hinata. She'd finally made a friend not given to her by the elders.

Hinata was a bit put out. While the party lasted she'd been able to seat beside Naruto. They talked for the first time, actually talked in an ongoing conversation that had eased her heart. It had been so wonderful, she didn't want to have to go back to it being like it was before. She didn't want to be a stranger to Naruto again. She feared once this party was over, so would this perfect moment of talking with her crush. She was surprised to see him, walking over to her as her party was departing at Yuuki's porch.

He was holding a tender daisy. "I picked this out for you. Yuuki said I could, you seemed to really like the flower Hinata-chan. I just thought you'd like to keep one of them".

He offered it to her, and while all she wanted to do was grab hold of it and the hand with it, she controlled herself. Looking back to her father for permission, he seemed look Naruto over again. Causing the poor boy to squirm but finally he nodded his head. Hinata smiled at him and there was an expression of shock on her father's face for the first time in a long time. She gently took hold of the flower and thanked Naruto and then Yuuki. But the later waved it off, knowing where Hinata's heart was in the matter.

As everyone headed back home, Yuuki yelled. "Come back again okay!"

Everyone turned back, some smiling and other's shaking their heads in disbelief. She'd been so shy in the beginning but they were beginning to see that she had a fire in her as well. They left her there, standing with her crutches on the porch with her two guardians.

Once the cottage had disappeared from view, Fugaku hanged back, walking with Hiashi and Sarutobi. "Just who is Yuuki Hellsing?"

Fugaku nodded his head, "Did you notice her guardians all had red pupils, I've also been told Yuuki's eyes can turn red too".

Hiashi nodded, "And why is it that her guardian Seras does not seem to have a beating heart?"

The other two stopped entirely and stared at him.

"What did you just say?"

"Seras Hellsing has no heartbeat".


	15. Chapter 15: What we know

Well here's a shout out to all those who reviewed. I should have gotten back to you by now, thank you so much for reviewing. I love you guys. Here's the next chapter I hope you like it. I'm keeping to my pace, nothing shall be rushed. Oh and be sure to check my profile I should have uploaded some pics of Yuuki, Seras, Kyuubi and Naruto.

_Well I just heard the news today  
It seems my life is going to change  
I closed my eyes, begin to pray  
Then tears of joy stream down my face_

_With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open_

"_With arms wide open" by Creed._

* * *

**Chapter 15: What we know…**

This was beginning to become a familiar sight to Fugaku; as before he sat before the Hokage with Hiashi at his side. The three men were in intense concentration. On the desk were many complied documents, some from suna, others from different villages. Each had something to do with bloodlimits that had to do with red eyes and hearts. Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and took a deep drag of his pipe. He'd never needed to research this deeply since his younger days, sure brought back memories; the thrill of finding something new. Though in this case the feelings eluded him, they hadn't found anything concrete so far.

"So what you are saying is that Seras Hellsing has no heartbeat at all?" said Sarutobi, finding it hard to believe. That would make her dead, no, a nonliving thing. He could see it if she were a puppet, but if she was he'd never seen one so well crafted. "And there's that little bit of their eyes being red. By the way Fugaku, how do you know all of them have red eyes? Yuuki's was a pale blue similar to the Yamanaka clan".

Fugaku huffed, "When I went back home to pick up the boys. I asked my wife to tell me about Yuuki. She'd gone with Naruto to visit once but I was not in at the time. My wife told me when Yuuki got agitated or angry her eyes turned as red as her guardians".

The other two nodded, Hiashi filling a bit behind since this mystery had seen it fit to visit his rival's home first. But then again it may have not been her, she seemed to simply go where Naruto went, and hang out with the people Naruto hanged out with. The proof of her lack of personal friends showed when Naruto had to be the one to invite others to her party. Yuuki didn't seem to know anyone but Naruto Uzumaki. "Hokage-same, leaving the oddity of Seras Hellsing's heartbeat or lack of one aside for now. I think we should look into the fact that Yuuki Hellsing's only contact seems to be with Naruto Uzumaki. Well at first anyway, now thanks to him she knows Fugaku's sons and my daughters. Still don't you think it is curious that her family seem to be so centered around the boy?"

Fugaku nodded, leaning back himself as he began to calculate the possibilities. That had been another factor he'd been looking into as well. "If she turns out to have ill intentions, she could be pleasing the boy to steal him away from the village. Well maybe not her, since she's just nine. But I do not trust her guardians, the one named Katsu especially. I think I speak for everyone when I say I didn't feel his prescience when he stepped into the garden."

Sarutobi and Hiashi nodded, though the latter was reluctant to admit it. His bloodlimit dealt with being able to see everything after all.

"Yes, a rather curious thing to happen. Well, whoever Yuuki Hellsing and her guardians may be I don't think we should be considering them hostile just yet".

The other looked to him, puzzled. "Why is that Hokage-same?"  
He took another poof of his pipe. "Look at what they've been up to so far and what has been happening so far. For many years I have feared for Naruto's mental health since the villagers seemed adamant to isolate him. I worried he'd become inhumane like the Jinnchuriki from Suna. Now I can rest easy a bit, thanks to this Yuuki incident he has had a chance to broaden his list of friends. I'm sure you two are fine, having your children be friends with him?" he raised a brow to this.

"Of course" said the two in union. Sarutobi had a feeling they'd have glared at each other if not for their age and his watchful stare. Sometimes the clan heads could at like children. But what he'd been saying did seem to spark something in Fugaku's memory.

"Ah, that's right. My wife told me Yuuki had said they'd been living on the outskirts of Suna. We could get in contact with Suna and try to verify the truth of her words".

Sarutobi folded his arms and frowned, "I would like to do that as well, but you and I both know we are on shaky ground with Suna. Their current Kazekage isn't a kind man and as it is he has stopped short of bringing about a full war between our two villages due to the pressure from others. Suna is neutral for now and it would be wise not to change that stance. So for now we'll have to believe word of mouth and hope Yuuki Hellsing is who she says she is".

"Hmm…" Fugaku didn't like the idea of leaving things to chance. He looked to Hiashi, "What did you see with your byakugans?"

Hiashi frowned and rubbed his forehead, like the confusion of before had come rushing back. "It was like there were seals in the walls. I couldn't seem to see too far or else a sudden force would cause me to get dizzy. It was like peering through mist, only catching some things and overlooking others entirely. Everything was distorted…but I did see something of interest".

"Oh, and what was that if I may ask?" said Fugaku, finding it hard to believe his former teammates eyes had been bested.

Hiashi smirked at him, causing him to frown a bit. "Your son."

"What about my son?"  
"When Itachi had gone to the kitchen to give Yuuki back her crutches, a curious scene occurred. She'd been coming out with the food and they'd slammed into each other. Your son had caught the plates…" he noticed Fugaku's smug expression at this, "But that was not all he caught".

Fuagku's face fell into confusion. Hiashi smirked again. "He was holding Yuuki rather affectionately. I don't even think he knew what he was doing. They stayed like that for a bit before breaking apart, no doubt finally realizing their position".

Fugaku raised a brow to this; he didn't say anything for a time. So that confirmed it, his Itachi finally had the hots for someone. It'd taken fourteen worrisome years but he finally had a human emotion for someone. And it just had to be the person in question to Konoha's national safety at the moment. Fugaku was glad for the new development of emotion in his otherwise lifeless son but he wished it wasn't someone he wondered was a friend or foe to his village. He'd have to watch the two more closely, should Yuuki pose a threat he had to get her away from his sons.

"Well I guess that is fine for now" was all he said, not about to indulge family business with the two people at the table.

Sarutobi watched Fugaku for a time but realized they wouldn't be getting anymore out of him on that subject. He coughed, "Well, other than that did anyone notice the way she kept staring at me at times? I was afraid I'd done something impolite to the girl by mistake".

Hiashi shook his head, "I had noticed that too but it wasn't a rude stare she'd been giving you. It was like she knew you and has missed you for quite some time. I think it was because of you she'd been crying that time".

Fugaku nodded his head, he'd thought that part of the evening strange too. The girl had broken down crying the moment Sarutobi had introduced himself. It was like she'd been seeing a ghost of a loved one. "Maybe that's it, maybe you bare a resemblance to someone she loved that passed away. She told my wife it had been due to a battle that she and her guardian had to move here. Maybe she'd lost her grandfather during that moment."

Sarutobi wove his fingers together, "that may be the case. Either way I may have an effect on her. Maybe with time, I can get her to tell me more about herself, or the children even".

Hiashi nodded, "But we'll have to get her away from her guardian's watchful eyes to get any useful information. I don't think that Katsu fellow would allow an information breach if he could help it".

Fugaku nodded, "I agree".

Sarutobi sighed, "Then as far as I am concerned, I fear we'll just have to watch their movement from afar and discern things from that. We can't seem to find anything about the Hellsings in the archives nor their bloodlimits, or about Seras strange lack of a heartbeat. For now this case is on hold, are we clear".

"Yes, Hokage-sama" said the two, bowing their heads as they got up to leave.

"Oh and you two, feel free to tell me anything that may come up from your individual searches" said Sarutobi as they neared his door. The two nodded and walked out, leaving him to his own thoughts. He had to admit, he too was very interested in the Hellsings. They seemed to be strange bunch, from how Seras was accepting Shisui's flirtation she wasn't married to Katsu. Yuuki didn't seem to resemble either of them, maybe Katsu but that was stretching it. She probably wasn't either of their child, so who are her parents, where are they? Questions he wished he knew the answers to.

* * *

-Scene Skip-

Uchiha Manor

Fugaku walked back home, his mind in deep thought as he replayed the meeting in his head. There was so much he wanted to get cleared up but there were no leads. He greeted Rai at the gate and headed in to his home. He knew Mikoto would be at one of those her female community meetings. He expected the house to be empty, or at least only Sasuke in his room studying like usual. He was surprised to see Itachi in the living room with his little brother, playing a game of shogi.

Fugaku stayed close to door frame and watched them for a time, finding such a sight to be rare. Itachi was rarely at home ever since he joined the Anbu. This vacation time, given by the hokage was a much needed blessing for their family. Mikoto had been worried about the absence of her eldest son. At times Fugaku wondered if Itachi sensed that worry, if he knew how much they still cared for him. For some time he could feel a wall closing him off from his sons. He was trying to shorten the distance with Sasuke but it seemed like it was almost too late with Itachi. His son was now a man with a will of his own. He watched his sons play for a bit more, noting how frustrated Sasuke looked despite his attempts to hide it. Itachi was the epitome of calm, so like him to be so.

"Father would you like to join us for a game?"

Fugaku chuckled; he'd underestimated his son again. Of course Itachi had felt his presence; he'd only feigned ignorance out of respect. Fugaku stepped into the room, taking a seating between the two and looked at the board. Itachi was clearly wining, with most of his black pieces surrounding Sasuke's white. But Sasuke's strategies were pretty interesting. The boy could make a good field commander some day. Folding his hands, he shook his head. "I'll stay out of this round and just watch. Next round I'll play."

The way Sasuke's face brightened up was reassuring and at the same time painful to Fugaku. That the boy was so happy to get even such little attention meant he hadn't gotten any at all before this. He'd have to do some changes to his schedule too if he wanted to be closer to his family. He watched them play the game to the end, Sasuke losing but not without proving his worth as an Uchiha. Truly his sons were something. Reorganizing the board they started another game. This time Sasuke decided to seat it out, preferring to watch Itachi and Fugaku play. Shogi was played by two anyway. After some time the two were so good they became locked in a stalemate. For each piece Itachi took, their father took another. Finally Sasuke felt his eyes growing heavy and he found himself falling asleep. Fugaku and Itachi noted, both smiling at the sight of an unguarded Sasuke.

"So what do you think of the Hellsings?" asked Fugaku, broaching the subject as gently as he could, which wasn't very gentle at all.

Itachi looked up from the game board, remaining silent for a time before answering. "I think they're an interesting set of people. They have a kind will towards Naruto and Sasuke so I see no problem with them."

Fugaku nodded, he'd expected this much at least. Itachi was a very illusive person, catching his thoughts on anything was as hard as catching a water. Unless he willed it, there was no way of getting his thoughts on a situation. "Is that so? Personally I think Yuuki seems to be a nice girl."

Itachi didn't look up from the board this time, simply raised brow to this. "Is she, well I guess that's true."

Fugaku gritted his teeth, so Itachi wasn't going to discussion his interest in the girl with him. He sighed and let it go, knowing better than to try to lead this conversation anymore. He placed down his last piece and gently combed through Sasuke soft black hair. "Well I'm glad the two of you are making new friends. I'll be heading up to my study should you or your mother need something." He said as he got to his feet.

Itachi watched him leave, looking to Sasuke sleeping form, taking note of his even breaths. And then he looked at the game board, he'd lost this game. He hoped he didn't lose the larger one playing within his own home.

* * *

Scene Skip

Hellsing Cabin

"Yuuki what are you doing?" asked Naruto, he'd come over today during lunch. Yuuki turned towards him, breaking her stance for a bit. She sighed, walking over to where he was laying on the couch.

"Training and you should too if you want to even get entered into the academy. You want to look good for Hinata don't you?"

"…Yeah well sure but how does just standing there help train you?" asked Naruto, not getting where this was going. Yuuki grinned, repositioning herself into her stance.

"I'll show you, come on try to copy how I'm standing" she said.

Naruto shrugged and followed her lead, he didn't know where this was going but doing something was always fun. It felt a bit strange when he took on the same stance as Yuuki. His feet were spread a bit apart, and his open hands held out in front.

"Katsu told me this was how you learned a stance. You stand in this way and move only to come back to this pose every time. Eventually he said your body would just move on automatic and place you back into the stance" explained Yuuki.

Naruto gave a hesitant nod, he understood the theory behind it but could something like that really work. Yuuki could see the doubtful expression on his face. She huffed, "Come on, you've got to try it before you knock it. Watch, do this with me for five days straight and you won't even think about it when I say get into the stance".

Naruto grinned, "hm, whatever you say".

Yuuki chuckled, kicking his leg a little so he wobbled and glared at her.

"Do not think because you are a girl I can't get you back for that. I hear pink is all the rage these days, I wonder how you'd like pink hair" he teased.

Yuuki growled, "Don't even think about it!"

"What training is over already? I don't remember telling either of you to stop" came a familiar voice.

Yuuki and Naruto froze, both turning slowly to face Katsu. They'd totally forgotten he was there. He sat on the lazy-boy chair behind them, making paper origami of cranes.

"Um, technically I'm not even supposed to be taking this training since I didn't sign up so I'll just go back to my seat" said Naruto in a shaky tone. He tried to edge back to his seat but Yuuki grabbed hold of him pretty fast. He glared at her.

"What do you think you are doing?" he whispered below his breath.

She glared back in kind, "Don't think you're getting out of this, I will not suffer his wrath alone".

Naruto paled, "But it's your training, who told you start chattering away!"

Yuuki's grin grew very scary at this, "I if remember correctly chattering takes two. You're part of this, be a man and take it".

Naruto blanched but before he could say anything he felt something whack him on the head, hard. He was about to yell when he noticed Yuuki was clutching her head too. He grinned at this; take it like a man huh? He turned to Katsu who was standing before them now. How he's able to move so fast, Naruto didn't know but he'd find out.

"Well it seems my little kits are a bit too chatty. I know, I think you'll settle down after a couple of laps around the cabin". Katsu said, holding the weapon of evidence in his hand; a rolled up newspaper.

Yuuki buckled, "What!"

"tsk, tsk. If it wasn't that you were recovering I would have made it more. Be grateful kit" said Katsu with a sinister grin.

Yuuki and Naruto found themselves running around the cabin two minutes later with equal red bumps on their heads. They began to grumble under their breath.

"I'm definitely going to put bugs under his pillow tonight" gritted Naruto.

"I'd totally help you partner" said Yuuki, sweating despite her best efforts.

"lol, can you imagine the look on his face if they climb on his hair" said Naruto, cackling evilly.

Yuuki grinned; she could just picture the horrified look. If there was one thing Kyuubi loved more than the pain of others, it was his hair. You'd think he was a woman with the way he paid so much attention to it. She put out her fist and at first Naruto didn't understand why but then he got it. Smashing his into her's in a fist pound.

"We're definitely going to do it" they chorused.

Seras watched them from her bedroom window with a smile. How nice it was to be young no matter what the circumstances.

* * *

Well that's the end of this chapter hope you liked it. Remember to take a look at those pics on my profile when you can.


	16. Chapter 16: Why so red

Okay everyone do not kill me. I know it has been a while since I last updated but things have been hectic. I'd been hooked on some manga, so that's spending the already little computer time I have. Anyway I hope you like this chapter; I made sure it was longer than the last. I don't want to get into the habit of writing short chapters. The length is also the reason why there won't be a flashback in this one.

* * *

_It's only half past the point of no return  
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn  
The thunder before lightning, the breath before the phrase  
Have you ever felt this way?_

"_Glitter in the air" P!nk_

* * *

Chapter 16: Why so red…

In fire country the sun was out and about in its full glory. Everyone was doing their best to be done with the day, heading on to work and what not…everyone but a certain four in the Hellsing cabin. Sprawled on the couch, Seras stared aimlessly at the ceiling, following the groves of the wood. Today she was glad to be part of the undead, having lost her ability to be affected by temperatures long ago. She looked to her right; the spirit king looked just fine. In fact Kyuubi was seated in his favorite seat, reading some orange book and giggling like a perverted school girl. _That one has a lot of problems;_ she thought and redirected her attention the two children lying on the floor.

Yuuki and Naruto looked like they were just about ready to pass out from heatstroke. The former of the two had it a bit easier thanks to her mixed heritage. The only thing really weighing Yuuki down were the harsh sunrays. Now while the light of the sun didn't make her go up in flames like the fairytales said they would. They did make her skin tingle uncomfortably on strong, hot summer days like this. To say Kyuubi's inconsistent giggling was annoying to those of the semi-mortal flesh was an understatement. Had she the strength Yuuki had no doubt in her mind she'd have ripped the filthy thing from his hands and burn it right in his face. Consequences be damned.

She would have done it too if she didn't feel like she was glued to the floor. Damn, she'd forgotten just how hot it could get in Konoha. Sure they had nothing on Suna but they came pretty damn close. The country wasn't called fire country for nothing. Three days ago they had to put out some wild fires around the village as volunteers. She glanced over to Naruto, the poor boy looked worse than she did. His blue eyes were so vacant, it was almost scary. They all jumped when they heard the knocks coming from the front door. Yuuki wondered who it was. After the house warming party, they hadn't hosted anyone other than Naruto. She looked to the others, not necessarily lazy but wondering if anyone had the strength to get up. She looked pointedly at Kyuubi but he sat in his seat, unmoved by anything but his stinking book. Yuuki let out a growl at the sound of another knock and headed for the cabin's front door. Whoever it was had better pray they were important enough to somebody because anyone short of the Hokage was going to get fried.

But when did she pull back the front door she was shocked to see the individuals gathered on her porch. The Uchiha brothers, Shisui and the Hyuuga sisters were at their door step. They were all in their summer wear. Yuuki had to admit, with the abundance of skin showing the Uchiha and Hyuuga clan had to be one of the most fair skinned in the village. Before she'd meet her true vampiric ancestors she'd have sworn on her mother's grave that the people standing before her were vampires. You had to admit they fit the part perfectly, fair pale skin, dark long hair, dark eyes and a healthy dose of a dark aura as a finishing touch. For some weird reason she felt very relieved to see Hinata sporting a pretty white wide-brimmed summer hat. She remembered how easily Hinata's fair skin burned in the harsh sunlight. Her little sister was wearing one too but she didn't seem to appreciate its protection. Well, she would someday when she realized how easily her fair skin could get burnt.

That aside though, the group before her had to be one of the most well dressed set of teens she'd ever seen. Itachi and Shisui, being the older males of the group actually had something to show off. Their muscles were fully developed, practically forcing their t-shirts to mold themselves to them rather than the other way around. Their cargo shorts gave way to show off their strong legs. Sasuke of course tried to emulate his elder brother, wearing a t-shirt and shorts as well but since he was still young, his developing muscles were over shadowed. Hinata could have been in a model in her simply yet elegant blue and white summer dress. If only she had the confidence in her looks that is. Hanabi would definitely turn a few heads in her yellow summer dress as well. She on the other hand seemed very confident about her looks. To be honest Yuuki had never really gotten to know Hanabi well in her past life. She avoided confrontations with the girl because in the future her relationship with Hinata had become strained. The elders had always been pushing for Hanabi to be the heiress and while Hanabi didn't mean to hurt her sister, her following their lead had done its damage. Yuuki hoped to change that at least.

Yuuki straightened a bit, not wanting to be caught gawking like a fish. "Hey guys, wasn't really expecting this but it's nice to see you all. How have you been?" she asked, scratching her head sheepishly out of habit.

"Who is it Yuuki?" called Seras, a bit surprised at the lack of a door slam. She'd actually been counting down to see how fast Yuuki could politely turn away whoever was the unfortunate soul to disturb their den. Yuuki could feel her making her way to the front door with the others even if she couldn't hear the vampiress' light steps. She noted that at the sight of her blonde guardian in nothing but a bright blue dress-shirt, Shisui's eye widened. He seemed to forget everything, even decent manners and continued to stare. Seras didn't seem to mind his attention; in fact there was a light of affection in her gaze. She smiled a bit and Yuuki noticed it was mostly directed at Shisui. Yuuki frowned, still not sure about how she felt about Seras and Shisui's sudden familiarity with one another. She looked towards Kyuubi to see if he noticed but if he did, he gave no indication of it. Like a well manner-host Kyuubi invited his guests in, chiding Yuuki for keeping them out in the sun for so long. Yuuki blushed at this; she had been a bit rude there.

Naruto practically jumped out of his skin at the sight of Hinata in a summer dress. His eyes, eerily vacant before were now bursting with life. Of course the last bit of common sense in him was probably all that was stopping him from launching himself at her and giving her a hug. Yuuki knew, she was a touchy-feely kind of person after all. She went into the kitchen to get their guests some drinks, noting a red letter on the kitchen counter. Curious she picked it up, scrolled on the back in elegant letters Alucard and Integra's names were spelled. The letter was meant for Kyuubi so she refrained from opening it. She'd learned her lesson when it came to opening Kyuubi's mail without permission. A hard lesson learned with a red rear that she couldn't seat on for a week. Placing the letter on the tray she was carrying she went back into the living room.

Naruto and Sasuke seemed to already be arguing about something. She didn't care to find out what. As far as she knew, they could be arguing about why the sky was blue or why fishes live in the sea and not on land. If there was ever something to argue about those two would surely find it. It made her wonder, if Sasuke hadn't gone down the dark path he had, what would he and Naruto have looked like years later. When they were old and grey with grandchildren of their own. Somehow the thought that was supposed to be funny left a bitter taste in her mouth. She wouldn't know, after all her only child had never taken its first breath because of Sasuke. She went about placing the tray on the center table, never noticing the dark gaze that followed in interest.

"Who's the letter from?" asked Naruto, distracted enough for the time being to ask. Yuuki stuck out her tongue at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking and hoping to taunt him away from foolishness just this once.

"It's for Katsu. You'll do well to remember not to look into other people's mails Naruto Uzumaki" she feigned a snobbish tone for emphasis. Then she turned to Kyuubi, giving an exaggerated bow and offered up the letter.

"To his royal highness of pain. A letter from Grandpappy" she said, snickering.

Kyuubi burst into laughter. "Grandpappy?"

She cocked her eyebrow a bit higher to this. _Well I thought it rhymed_

_**With what word I wonder?**_

_I was thinking Vampire_

_**Hahaha you do not ever want to say that in Alucard's prescience. Your Grandpappy as you call him would skin you alive and revive you just to do it again.**_

_Not very forgiving now is he_

_**No, not very forgiving at all**__, _concluded Kyuubi.

Naruto sat up at this, having been lying on the floor. "Who's Grandpappy?"

Katsu chuckled, "Yuuki's grandfather. He's away on business right now so you probably won't be seeing him any time soon. He sends letters to check in with us once in a while. I guess I should go somewhere private to read this." He said, snatching away the letter from Naruto's keen eyesight. The boy pouted, leaving no doubt to what he had been trying to do as the spirit king walked away.

Yuuki laughed before turning her attention back to their guests. "I don't mean to be rude or nothing but why are you guys here?"

Sasuke gave her a smug look, one that would look more terrifying on his adult face but on his child form. She had to admit it was quite cute. Trying to keep a straight face she let him explain as she took a seat on Seras' lap.

"Well since it's extremely hot today Aniki thought it would be best for us to go to the beach. We have a villa over by the Hajimi pass, so we thought it would be nice to invite you. Do you want to go?" asked Sasuke, not really asking more like commanding.

Yuuki raised a brow to his tone but let it slide, as long as he didn't grow up to be a conceited psycho bastard she could deal with a little ego. She turned to Seras, not really sure. She knew about the Hajimi pass, it was one of the small mountains by the west of the village. Travelers used it all the time to get to the industrial part of town.

Seras smiled at her charge, noting the slight uneasy in those sky blue eyes. She brushed her hands through Yuuki's hair. "Why not, I think we could use the vacation. I'll go talk things over with katsu. You can go get ready; I doubt he'll say no".

Yuuki and Naruto both jumped for joy, exclaiming victory in union. They dashed for their rooms, leaving a slightly startled gathering behind. Seras cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. Really kids just didn't know how to go about things with grace. Getting up slowly, and hiding her inner excitement she headed into the kitchen to ask Kyuubi. The others waited in their seats.

Feeling a bit nervous, Hinata decided to get up and politely look around, never really touching anything. She looked around the living room of the Hellsing Cabin for pictures. The thought of seeing Yuuki's childhood before now brought out a shy interest on her part. She found a row of them by the fireplace. It was of Yuuki as a baby in the arms of a fair skinned woman and a slightly tan man. Both were in their mid years, Yuuki must have taken after her mother with her platinum blonde hair. But she had her father light blue eyes. Somehow however Hinata couldn't seem to feel any emotion from the picture. The occupants were smiling, they seemed to be blissfully happy and yet it all seemed like there was a void. Somehow something was stopping her from enjoying the moment of Yuuki's birth with them. She didn't understand it and so looked towards the other pictures. They were of Yuuki growing up, occasionally one of her parents would be in the picture but suddenly it was only Yuuki. Then Katsu came into the picture with a Yuuki who was on a wheelchair. This must be the most recent image on the fireplace.

"Yuuki never did tell me much about her parents"

"Ah!" Hinata spun around shocked to be caught snooping. Her heartbeat didn't lessen at the sight of Naruto in just shorts and an open button up shirt; rather it began to beat louder. She could feel herself begin to blush; sure everyone in the room could hear it. Naruto gave her a disarming smile, probably to comfort her but the effect of it was far too great. She felt more like fainting than calming down. She decided it was best to distract herself, looking away her eyes came back to the picture frames once again.

"Really?" she asked, noting that the other's attention was on them.

Naruto didn't seem bother by it, he sheepishly scratched his head. "Yeah, she told me a bit about Suna but she never really talked about them. I didn't ask cause I thought it would be rude".

Hinata smiled, happy to know her crush had a heart. "That was a good thing to do Naruto-kun" she stuttered.

Itachi watched the two in silence. Clearly the Hyuga heiress had a thing for Naruto Uzumaki. The boy was probably oblivious to it though. Still hearing about Yuuki's parents, or rather a lack of their presence in her life caused his heart to contract painfully. He couldn't bring himself to understand why. But before he could even analysis this new information Yuuki made her entrance back into the living room. She'd changed into a simple red tank-top and shorts, carrying a small duffle bag on her arm. Naruto pointed towards it, confusion on his face.

"What's that for?"

Yuuki gave him an equally smug look of her own. "My swimsuit of course. Who's ever gone to the beach without one!"

Naruto's face went deadly pale and for some reason everyone just knew he was that 'someone'. Seras came back soon after, her expression was a mixture of happy and annoyed. She looked to Yuuki's attire and bag with a bit of longing. Everyone didn't know whether to take it for a good sign or not. Sighing she said, "Katsu said it's okay for you two to go."

"Yay" "Yay" exclaimed the two blondes.

Suddenly everything Seras said sunk into Yuuki's head and she whirled around. "Wait, you're not going?"

Seras waved off the concern from her charge, walking over to the couch and laid down. "Yeah, I'm afraid so. Orders from your Grandpappy".

Yuuki wanted to protest, to say otherwise but shut her mouth. She didn't know what Alucard had in mind but she didn't want another confrontation with him on his authority. The last time had shaved a couple of years off her lifespan. She simply walked over to the elder blonde and gave her a hug. "I'll be sure to bring something back for you okay".

Seras smiled, returning the hug and giving a light peck to the little girl's temple. In that moment Hinata understood what had been missing in the photos. Compared to this moment those photos seemed weak in effect, less real with emotion and lifeless. She looked back to them and wondered just what kind of people Yuuki's parents had been to be unable to give a genuine smile on the day of their child's birth. She felt her heart clench at the thought of Yuuki going through the same thing as her. She knew her father didn't hate her but facts stand that the elders of her clan could care less if she were disowned or dead.

"Oneesan are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just thinking…" whispered Hinata, surprised at Hanabi's question but glad for the concern. For a time there, she'd felt like the distance between her and her younger sister had grown even wider. In her heart she feared each day Hanabi grew stronger because she knew that when Hanabi grew strong enough. The elders would have no qualms about cutting her ties to the main house.

Naruto watched the two from the corner of his eyes, feeling a bit of worry at the sight of a troubled Hinata. Yuuki noticed and wrestled him into a headlock. He resisted and tried to ask her what the big deal was but the look in her eyes silenced his protest. Her light blue eyes had suddenly become sharp. He felt like she could cut through his soul with that gaze.

She whispered into his ear, "If you feel worry for her do not show it or else she will try even harder to hide it. If you want to do something, then get stronger and make it so you can take on her burdens".

He stayed still for a moment, not sure what to make of her words. But somehow they resounded in his heart and he just knew that was the right thing to do. Yuuki must have seen his resolve to work towards that, her hold on him lessened until she'd let go entirely. She turned to the others. "Alright then let's be on our way!"

"Is it alright for you to be going without your crutches?" asked Shisui, noting the lack of them.

Yuuki grinned to this, "Katsu says I am as good as healed. Sure I can't outrun Sasuke or anything like that but I can walk now for longer periods of time. Only if I stress myself, that's when the problem comes in".

"So basically you're fine now?" asked Sasuke, slightly proud she admitted she couldn't beat him in a race.

Yuuki knew it; she could see it in his eyes even though he was trying his best not the grin, the little narcissist. "Yeah, that's the gist of it. Let's get going before it gets dark, I really don't want to go walking in the woods at night".

Hanabi grinned, "What are you scared of the dark".

Yuuki allowed herself to smile a bit at the irony. "Actually I don't mind the darkness; in fact we get along quite well. But they tend to crawl all over you know…"

"They?" asked Itachi, filing away Yuuki's strange reaction to Hanabi's teasing.

Yuuki gave Hanabi a rueful grin. "The bugs of course! Don't you know? all sorts of them just crawling on your legs, going squish, squish everywhere?"

"Ya!" Hanabi screamed, actually hiding behind Hinata. Everyone watched her now; shocked to see that had actually fazed the legendary Hanabi. To think the usually aloof girl had a fear for bugs.

Yuuki chuckled as she headed out of the cabin, Itachi following soon after with a shake of his head. So Yuuki had a thing for playing with people's heads from time to time. They started the journey during the day but halfway up the mountain the sun was already close to setting. Yuuki didn't know what to do. A person just getting over rehabilitation shouldn't be able to hike up a mountain without rest or aid. If she didn't feign weakness soon, the sharper ones of the group may start to wonder.

From the corner of her eye she looked to the Uchihas. They seemed to be in a conversation with Naruto, telling him of their villa over the mountain. She nearly stumbled when those dark eyes settled one her. She felt her heart skip a beat. Just how did he do that? How does he always know when she was looking at him? And that gaze of his, so direct with no room for one to hide. She could never bring herself to understand Uchiha Itachi. She did her best to keep her back to him but at least she was grateful for this one silly reaction towards him. Hanabi mistook her stumbling for a sign of fatigue.

"Are you okay?" asked Hanabi.

Yuuki gave her a strained smile for extra points. "I'm not so sure, I think either the heat is finally getting to me or I'm getting tired".

"Maybe we should rest a bit, since we left the cabin we haven't stopped" said Hinata. Yuuki felt a tad bit guilty for the concern in her voice. She never liked lying to Hinata. As far as she was concerned if there was ever a choice for her to either lie to Hinata or let the world burn. People had better start slapping down the sunscreen cause she'd never lie to Hinata. However, thanks to the circumstances of her rebirth lying is inevitable. It isn't easy, she didn't like it but lying seemed to be her only choice until she was no longer needed in this story.

Falling to her knees as naturally as possible, she began to gasp a bit. "Thank you".

"Hm, but Sasuke says we're very close. Can't one of the adults just carry you or something?" asked Naruto, his blue eyes pleading. Yuuki glared, just what had Sasuke said that made him willing to sell out a friend. It had to be ramen. That had to be it. There was probably a new type of ramen in the town surrounding the villa.

"I don't see why not. Yuuki-chan if you don't mind?"

She felt her body freeze at the sound of his deep voice. Shit! He was the one offering to carry her! How would she survive this? What if her heart started beating erratically again like it was doing now. There's no way he wouldn't feel that. Yuuki felt like banging her head against one of the rocks on the rough path but she refrained. She was a 25 year old shinobi, she could handle herself. Smiling as best she could to the handsome Uchiha brother she climbed on his back. Noting how well sculpted his muscles were as he positioned her on his back. For some reason Yuuki couldn't help but feel safe, riding piggy-back on Itachi's back.

She decided to indulge a little in the feeling, knowing just how rare it was in her life. But she promised herself deep down, if they got to the town and she saw Naruto so much as go ogle eyes at a ramen stand she'd strangle him for being a sellout.

"Thank you" she whispered. Her face was a light shade of red as they started up the mountain path again. She didn't mean to but somehow she couldn't help but take in his scent. It was deep, aromatic and spicy. She couldn't help but compare it to Hinata's softer, sweeter scent and yet she found she loved the two. That must have been part of the reason why she fell asleep on his back. Because when she woke up again the sun was down completely. She instantly felt embarrassed for the slight drool on her lip. She checked around to see if anyone noticed. Thankfully everyone seemed to be too busy trying to find their way in the dark.

Itachi didn't seem to be having any trouble though. He was so sure of where he was going, almost like he had her enhanced eyesight. She found herself looked at his neck, the smooth pale expanse of skin. She wondered if it felt like marble, it certainly looked as smooth. Resting her head a bit lower she rested her cheek on his skin, feeling the heat from his living body. Her body started to react, slowly getting hotter at first before she realized something wasn't right. She couldn't bring herself to look away from Itachi's neck and then the sound came. A consistent drumming noise that she realized was his heartbeat. She didn't know what she was doing but all she wanted was to dip her fangs into his warm flesh, to taste that wonderful red substance she knew was just below the surface.

_True bloodlust as it were…_

Immediately she jerked her head back in revulsion, her sudden actions causing Itachi to stumble. He looked back at her to see what was wrong be Yuuki had hidden her face behind her hands. She began to gasp and pant, all the while pushing at his back so he knew to let her down. Itachi didn't want to let her go in this state but he realized holding her against her will wouldn't help anything. He relented and let her off, still holding onto her hand, which had become very hot. Almost feverishly hot. By now everyone had noticed the commotion and had stopped to figure out what was wrong. Yuuki dropped to her knees, slamming her fist into the ground, creating little dents. She could feel her fangs trying to peek through her lips but she wouldn't let it. She wouldn't let Naruto and the others see this side of her. She'd thought she had more time to pick a place for her first true bloodlust but it appears she'd been mistaken. She didn't know what to do without Kyuubi. She couldn't think straight, all she could think of, all she could see in her head was red. A fluid, sweet, sweet red.

"Yuuki-chan what's wrong?" asked Hinata, worried and trying to reach out to her new friend.

Sasuke and the others watched. Confused at what was wrong as Yuuki battle with her inner demons. She didn't know what else to do but this.

Bang, bang!

The others watched in shock as Yuuki proceeded to bang her head against the rough rocky earth. With blood running from her bruised forehead she stretched out her hand. Itachi could see her eyes clearly in the dark. They were a bright, burning red. They were brighter than the first day they had met. He couldn't even bring to words what she looked like at that moment; with her long golden locks taking on a shade of sparkling silver, dancing over her soft pale skin and her eyes. Those strong eyes asking of something from him, Itachi couldn't bring himself to speak.

_Paper!_ She cried, her voice shaken and scared.

He wanted to ask her what was wrong like the others but he didn't. She wasn't answering them and he had a feeling she wouldn't answer him too. If there was one thing he was sure he wouldn't be able to handle. It was her ignoring him like the rest. So he reached into his pocket and got out a small note card, gently placing it into her warm hand. Yuuki smiled for a minute, enjoying his touch but know better than to let it last for much longer. With the little bit of sanity she'd regained from banging her head up she wrote down the name of the only one who could help her.

_Bring him_…she whispered. With the ability she'd gained from entering her own mindscape so much as a child in her past life with Kyuubi she was able to force herself to shut down. The others watched as she fell to the ground, unconscious. Itachi picked her up, letting her rest on his lap as he took the paper, crushed in her hand.

_Kyu_ _Katsu_

He looked towards Naruto, for once not sure how to go about this. "She wants us to bring Katsu to her."

"Huh" was Naruto's intelligent answer, too freaked out by Yuuki's latest relapse.

"But it's a half-day's walk back to the cabin!" prompted Sasuke, Shisui nodding his head in agreement. He'd counted each moment he'd been away from his darling Seras after all. Hinata and Hanabi looked to one other; for once they both bore the same expression of worry. Everyone looked back to Naruto, their only tie to the Hellsing family. With his heart hammering Naruto thought on it as best he could, finally reaching into his pocket and bring out a paper of his own.

"Katsu gave me this before we left. I don't really know how to use it so it bits me why he gave it to me but. He said if we needed him for any reason I should use this to contact him." He offered up the slip of paper to Itachi.

Itachi took the slip of paper, his dark eyes widening as he realized what it was. It was a communication seal, only Junín and up were allowed to use it to communicate on tough missions. How did Katsu, a supposed simple civilian be able to use one. Still this was no time to consider that. He put his thoughts on the back burner and bit into his thumb. Noting Yuuki shifted a bit in his lap. Placing his thumb on the paper, he waited for the seal to light up and the link to be made.

_This is Katsu speaking, something up kit?_ Asked the calm voice on the other end.

Itachi hesitated for a minute but eventually realized he couldn't bring up his concerns. "Katsu it's me Itachi Uchiha speaking. Yuuki collapsed, we don't understand why. She'd felt a bit tired earlier so I left her ride on my back as we made the last leg of the trip. But just moments ago she began to struggle to get off my back. She seemed to be in some amount of pain. She banged her head on the rocks and then asked for us to bring you to her. Do you know what's going on?"

_...I'll be right there_.

"Wait! How can you get over here? We're in the middle of the forest!" cried Hinata, hoping Katsu didn't panic into doing something reckless. Itachi concurred, not seeing how the middle age man could get there as soon as he said unless he could…

And just as he thought it an unnatural flame burst right in their middle, causing Sasuke and the younger ones to jump back, startled. The hot red flames built up for a minute and then by an unnatural blow vanished. In the center of a slightly scorched circle stood Seras and Katsu, they looked deadly serious. Naruto could only point in wonder.

"H-how did you do that?" he stuttered for once in his life. He knew Katsu was dead serious about Yuuki's well-being but this was just nuts.

"Fire teleportation jutsu" answered Shisui, looking at the Hellsings in a new light. He didn't like it but he'd have to be more cautious around them, including Seras. The blonde in thought, looked towards her charge resting in Itachi's lap. Yuuki looked as though she were in a troubled sleep.

"Katus…"

"I know, I can tell now" he said, a conversation only between them. He approached Itachi, giving the other a firm yet understanding look before picking up Yuuki. With his back turned to them he said. "I know you guys didn't plan for this but I suggest you make camp here for today. The weather is fine; it won't rain till tomorrow night. Seras has all the camping supplies you'll need. I'll have to attend to Yuuki now. I don't want to repeat myself but don't follow me or interfere. This is clan business for the moment".

The others stood there stock still. Clan business! Since when was Yuuki part of a clan and what did he mean they could follow him? They were all just as worried. Hinata began to twiddle her finger and Hanabi glared, annoyed to be order by someone outside her clan. The Uchihas just watched silently, not sure what to make of this shocking news. Itachi took one step towards Katsu.

_Katsu…Ka…_gasped Yuuki in her troubled sleep.

"Shush I'm here now kit, everything's okay" whispered Katsu, as though cuddling a baby.

Itachi stay rooted in his place, fisting his hands at his side. He hated feeling powerless. It had been because of this he'd worked so hard to become stronger. Now he couldn't even save the girl he was interested in. What trash. Turning to Seras he asked for the supplies and started to set up camp. Sasuke watched his brother work in silence and knew something wasn't right. He went over to help and eventually everyone took the queue, leaving Katsu with Yuuki.

Katsu walked deeper into the mountain forest, Seras standing guard a feet away so no one would get noisy. Placing Yuuki against a tree, he gently woke her up.

"Kit wake up" he said, using his long claws to cut his wrist. "You want this don't you?"

Her eyes snapped open, blood red with deadly need. She lunged at his hand, taking it to her mouth and taking in deep drags. She moaned a little in satisfaction when she was done a few minutes later. Kyuubi took back his wrist once he was sure she'd regained her sanity with her thirst quenched.

"You back Kit?"

She looked around her, as if seeing for the first time. "What happened Kyuubi? Where are the others?"

"Shush, be careful what you call me. The others are still present. I sent them to go make tents, you'll be camping outside today and head to the beach in the morning" he said, watching as his self-inflicted wound healed on its own.

Yuuki watched it too until it finally healed. _What really happened?_

_**You tell me kit. Suddenly my mental link with you becomes too unstable for me to even reach you. The next thing I know I'm planning to come get you went Itachi contacts me through the communication seal. He said he'd been carrying you piggy-back when you suddenly freaked out and started bashing your head against the rocks. I called Seras, we gathered up the camping supplies and teleported here as soon as possible**_

_Oh…that's right I'd been sleeping on his back and suddenly when I woke up all I could see was his neck. I just couldn't help thinking about his veins, how visible they were on his pale skin and the strong sound of his heartbeat…_

_**Carefully kit, such colorful imaginary could bring you right back to that state again. For now I suggest you feign being of a weak body again. Do it enough times and they may actually believe us.**_

_Geez Kyuubi leave it to you to say that. I'm a capable liar because of you, you know that?_

_**But of course you learn from the best right. I'm pretty sure I'm good enough to convince a fish it can live on land.**_

_You're the worst…hey Kyuubi?_

_**What is it Kit?**_

_Why did I want Itachi's blood though? I thought since I liked the taste of Seras' blood I wasn't supposed to like normal human blood._

_**Hm, well Kit it all goes back to the whole clan system.**_

_What do you mean?_

_**Do you know why clan have the special abilities they do?**_

_No I just thought it had something to do with their genetic make-up_

_**Well yeah there is that but it all adds up to one thing.**_

_And that is?_

_**All clans are the offspring of **_**spirits**_** and **_**humans**_**…**_

* * *

How'd you like that folks. I thought I did a pretty good job, tell me otherwise if you like, just review. Thanks for reading, see you next chapter._**  
**_


	17. Chapter 17: The aftermath

_Take me away, a secret place  
A sweet escape, take me away  
Take me away to better days  
Take me away, a hiding place_

There's a place that I go that nobody knows

_Where the rivers flow and I call it home  
And there's no more lies in the darkness there's light  
And nobody cries, there's only butterflies_

"_Pocketful of sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield_

* * *

**Chapter 17: The day of my birth**

In the stark night at the Hajimi pass, a group of campers hung by the fire. In the utter silence of the night, only broken by the expected hooting of the owls and humming of the crickets, they sat. There was a heavy atmosphere, so heavy even Naruto was finding it hard to keep his optimism at full power. It had been an hour since Katsu and Seras had shown up, and fifty minutes since he'd taken Yuuki aside into the woods. He could see everyone at the fire was a bit worried about the youngest Hellsing. Occasionally they wouldn't mean to but they'd glance in the direction Katsu had taken Yuuki. Finally, being who he was, he couldn't stand the silence and he didn't feel like calling it a night yet. He smiled at the others and started a conversation.

"Don't worry about it so much, it's not the first time something like this has happened" he tried to grin, to relieve the strained situation. It wasn't a skillful attempt at consoling the situation but at least he'd gotten everyone's attention. The Uchiha members weren't brooding over to the side. A genetic trait in their clan it seems, since even bright and sunny Shisui was doing it. And Hinata finally had the distraction she needed to calm her worries though this brought up new ones. Naruto really looked good at night, with his blonde hair highlighted by the moonlight and his deep blue eyes taking on a darker hue. His tan skin took on a marble like tone in the night glow, almost as smooth as stone. She found herself blushing and glad for the cover of darkness.

Itachi lifted his head at Naruto's intrusion to his thoughts. He raised a brow to what the boy had said. "What do you mean 'it's not the first time something like this has happened'?"

Now it was Naruto's turn to react, his being to look sheepish. He wasn't sure Yuuki's health was a thing of open discussion and he didn't want to betray the trust the Hellsings had placed in him. Still looking at all the people gathered around the camp fire he couldn't see anyone that would want to harm her. He had no doubt about he's judgment, having grown up in a hostile social network himself. You don't go through something like that and not know when someone means you harm. He sighed and decided it was best to tell them what he did know. They could infer what they want from there.

"Well when I first met Yuuki we'd been talking out in her backyard by the garden. She was fine one minute and then the next minute she was screaming and covering her eyes. I didn't know what to do and for a minute I was panicking myself but then Katsu showed up. He's got to be the best guardian in the world. He always seems to know when Yuuki's in pain. Wish I had someone like him…anyway! He took her into the cabin and Yuuki calmed down a bit. He told me it had to do with her bloodlimit" said Naruto, internally annoyed at himself for giving away too much about his own internal issues.

Sasuke gave him a puzzled look. Thankfully for Naruto his soon to be best friend only had a one track mind when it came down to things. He heard 'Bloodlimit' and everything else went skyward. He turned to Naruto now, no longer trying to feign disinterest. "She has a bloodlimit?"

Naruto gave a weak laugh, not sure how to go on about something he himself knew so little about. He looked to Hinata and wanted to punch himself in the face. Now she'd get to see him looking uncool, gulping at the air for words and trying to look smart when he wasn't. What a mess!

"Well as I said I don't know much about it all. All I know is what I've seen and what Yuuki told me. She said she has a weak body from time to time. After her…attack in the garden I don't think I've seen her outside without her orange glasses" said Naruto.

Itachi's expression didn't change but he understood what Naruto was hinting at, unknowingly or not. He'd been there after all when she'd been buying her shades. That's how they'd first met. He believed Naruto when he said he didn't know anymore about the Hellsings, their bloodlimit, or their clan. Naruto just didn't seem like the kind of boy to lie about such things. Especially not in front of his love interest, the Hyuuga Heiress. Itachi had an inkling to the kind of man Naruto would grow up to be if he stayed on the path he was on now and didn't stray. He'd likely be the honest, straight-forward somewhat stubborn kind of man. Itachi stood in silence and walked over to the very spot Yuuki had begun to struggle, his larger hands gently tracing the dents on that part of the earth. Such strong marks left by such tiny little hands.

"A weak body huh?" he whispered to the wind.

"Onii-san?"

"Sasuke do you think Yuuki Hellsing is weak?" asked Itachi, not turning back to see his little brother's expression. Partly because he was scared of what expression he had on his own face at the moment. He'd never felt his heart beating like this. It was like he was moving for the first time in years. To what he didn't know but he knew it had to do with the Hellsings and most of all with Yuuki Hellsing.

Sasuke watched his brother in silence, knowing something was changing in him but not sure what. He took a seat on the ground beside him, looking towards the moon. "I don't think she's weak at all. I kind of think she's sort of interesting…you know a Naruto kind of interesting".

Itachi chuckled, startling his little brother who wasn't used to hearing it. "Yeah I can understand what you mean there".

* * *

**Scene Skip**

Kyuubi stared into the eyes of his kit. He knew what he'd just said was a shock to her. He could see it in her wide blue eyes and paling complexion. It probably would be. It's not every day you hear the prestigious clans of konoha are just the fruits of the joining of a spirit and human. A villager of konoha would certainly spit on your face if you told him such things. Kyuubi leaned back on a tree and let her soak it in.

Yuuki felt herself take a hesitant gulp of fear. "Kyuubi...what do you mean they are the offspring of spirits and humans?"

He shrugged, forever nonchalant about things. "No need for the dramatics kit. Come on haven't you ever wondered why the clans have the bloodlimits they do, what were their origins? Why no one seems to know and along the lines people just started believing it was another part of evolution?"

Yuuki couldn't wrap her head around this; she pressed her hands to her head, grabbing fists full of blonde locks. Through clenched teeth she said. "But if what you're saying is true..i-it means all my friends are in danger Kyuubi".

His red eyes turned to her now, analyzing, trying to see where she was going with this. He didn't like the taste of her words. "What are you getting at Kit?"

She began to shake at the images in her head. "Kyuubi if I am attracted to supernatural blood, certainly the blood of supernatural half-breeds is also included then. Try to remember Kyuubi, the rookie nine, all of them but a few are clan heirs!"

Kyuubi's eyes widened, well he hadn't been thinking about it from that angle. But now that she did mention it she had a point. He grinned at her, "Well it's about time you had drinking buddies anyway".

She glared, "This isn't funny Kyuubi. It's bad enough asking Seras to spare a vein every now and then. This! This would kill me. We need to find another way. I can't go crazy on them again".

Kyuubi leaned back on another tree. He sighed, "Fine, I'll think of something. In the main time I think we should be heading back if you don't want to raise too much attention".

Yuuki frowned, "What are you talking about there's no way I haven't gotten their attention already. I mean banging your head against the rocks isn't something you do for exercise. They probably think I'm a mental case".

Kyuubi chuckled, "Nothing wrong with being a bit nuts every now and then. Besides that's why I said 'too much' attention. I didn't say you hadn't gotten their concerns to begin with. You're not very attentive now are you?"

Now it was Yuuki's turn to flip him the bird before she got to her feet. She looked about her, the sky had become a rich deep blue and the stars were at their best, shining brightly. They'd stayed too long already. She began to make her way back, giving a nod to Seras as she reached her side. The fellow blonde seemed relieved to see her well and sane. Her strict vigilant demeanor changed immediately, taking to walking by Yuuki's side as a friend would. Kyuubi walked a pace behind them, enjoying the calm atmosphere for a bit. Knowing it would get rocky the moment they reached the camp, with so many anxious kids waiting. Sometimes it sucks dealing with humans.

Yuuki tried to approach them casually, calmly, you know anything but crazily. Naruto was the first one by the fire to notice her arrival, having the best ears in the group. He gave her a disarming smile, something she hadn't expected but welcomed. He patted a spot on the log he was sitting on, inviting her over. Silently she took the invitation, she tried to keep her face straight and look everyone in the eye. But several times she'd found herself examining her shoes and how much dirt it had acquired from the hike. Finally someone did break the silence and it wasn't who she'd expected.

"Yuuki-chan are you alright now?" asked Hinata, a slight stutter to her speech.

Yuuki tried to give her a grin for the effort, knowing Hinata hated confrontations. For her to have made the first move must have been nerve wrecking. She scratched her head sheepishly. "Yeah I'm better now…I just had a bit of a reaction to my bloodlimit. Sorry to have worried you".

Everyone nodded their heads but she could tell none of them wanted to leave it at that. Sasuke most especially, never being one to hide his interest in strong bloodlimits and clans. He asked, "What exactly is your bloodlimit Yuuki?"

Yuuki felt like hitting something but refrained. They already thought a few screws were loose in her head. Blowing up at Sasuke and banging things up would just assure them she needed to be admitted into the next mental ward. Speaking of which did Konoha even have a mental ward? She'd hate to have a mental ward built just for her. That isn't the kind of thing you could brag about to your friends. Hell that isn't the kind of thing you tell anyone. She gave him strained smile. "I can't explain it exactly but I'm sure Katsu can". There, she wasn't proud of herself but she'd shove someone else under the bus before she'd take the plunge.

Katsu knew what she done and from the look in his red eyes he didn't appreciate it. He gave Sasuke a slightly annoyed look, getting even more annoyed when the boy seemed to ignore it and was to expecting an answer. He folded his arms. "Well since you asked Sasuke I'd like to ask you this. If you can answer my question I'll answer yours. When you get into the academy will go around telling every kid at the academy your name, clan, bloodlimit, likes, dislikes, skills and equipment you have on you?"

Sasuke frowned, where had that come from? Itachi could tell Sasuke didn't get it but he understood Katsu clearly. One does not give out your information freely when it could be used against you. Sasuke didn't understand this angle of thinking yet so he answered like any kid his age would. "I wouldn't, I think that would be weird".

Katsu nodded, "Then tell me why I should tell you about something as important as my clan's heritage when we are just getting to know each other."

And there was the punch line. Yuuki could tell Sasuke still didn't get it and knowing him, he'd get angry soon. It was high time she hit the sack, there was a soft pink bunny pillow calling her name. She stretched, cracking a loud yawn; loud enough to catch everyone's attention. She dabbed her eyes and did her best to portray a tired person. "I'm a bit tired. I think I should get some Zs. Hinata-chan, Hanabi-chan you coming?"

The two Hyuuga sisters looked at each other, they were honestly tired themselves. Still they too had secretly wanted to know what kind of bloodlimit the Hellsings had. Shaking their heads they decided it was best to leave things as they were for now. Yuuki would eventually tell them. And even if she'd didn't the academy year was just around the corner. She'd have to display her abilities at the academy. The sisters got up and followed her into their tent, turning off the lamp and dressed for bed. Yuuki did her best not to look, feeling strange to be looking at a younger Hinata's body in the body of a girl.

The others that were left outside sat in silence for a minute. Then Naruto got up and decided he wanted to call it a night as well, not really seeing anything else to do. Seras waited for him to be fully out of earshot before she brought a new topic to the other's attention. "Um I was just wondering if any of you knew tomorrow is Naruto and Yuuki's birthday?"

Katsu of course knew. Sasuke looked clueless and then guilty for not knowing as though it was a crime for him to be ignorant of something. Itachi and Shisui seemed to be considering it, no doubt thinking about what they could do on such short notice. They'd all been aware of the looming event; they'd just never really gotten down to talking it through and making a legit day. Now the day was almost here and they were a day's walk away from the cabin. The place where they'd initially planned to host the party.

"I don't mean to impose here but if you don't mind we could hold the birthday party at my family's villa when we get to town. We have a lot of attendants that could help you get ready for the party much faster" he suggested.

Seras nodded but her finger was pressed to her chin as she thought of the other problems they might face. "But what are we going to do about the cake?"

"Aren't you also forgetting something?" interjected Katsu.

"What?"

"How about how are we going to get the two blonde twins out of the area so that we can actually fix the whole thing up? It isn't a surprise if they helped make the party."

Seras and the others nodded, "That is true…"

Shisui raised his hand now, feeling a little bit childish. "Oh don't worry about that. I could take them to see the local sites in town while you work. You think they've completed the new ramen bar by Yoso shopping district?"

Itachi nodded, "They have, that's probably what Sasuke had been telling Naruto about earlier. Don't ask me how they got to that subject; I wasn't paying that close attention."

Shisui raised a brow to this. Surely he'd wake up tomorrow to a blackened sky and raining hail storms. When did Itachi not pay attention to something? Shisui didn't really think much of it at first but could carrying Yuuki on his back have affected his attention so much. That girl must be something else cuz an inattentive Itachi Uchiha just never happens.

"In that case I think it could work. If you keep them distracted long enough we can get the decorations and food ready. Thanks" said Seras, really happy the birthday party was still going to happen.

Katsu raised his hand now, taking a page from Shisui's book. "That's all well and good but what about the guest. If you'll remember we invited Hiashi, Fugato and Sarutobi to the event."

Seras looked shaken. She'd been so sure things were well underway in her head. She pouted; she was beginning to understand what Yuuki meant when she called Kyuubi a buzz-kill. He was highly effective at what he does. He wouldn't even let her get high off the simple things in life. Shisui watched her expressions change in fascination, knowing for once she was unguarded. Still he felt the need to step to her aid.

"Now worries there. Itachi can summon one of his fastest ravens and get it to deliver the invitations. They can probably come the same way you guys did, less flashy of course" he joked but his comment revived the tense atmosphere from before. The question of just what and who the Hellsings were, dancing in his head again. This time he decided the only way to get past it was to sleep. Sleep erased the best and worst of feelings. He bid them all goodnight and made his way to his tent, pulling along Itachi. The elder Uchiha brother didn't seem to appreciate the contact but let it be for now. He wanted some sleep as well. If they wanted to make the most of the coming day, they had to hit the sack now. But before he went to bed he summoned one of his ravens and sent out the invitations.

* * *

**Scene Skip**

The next morning Yuuki woke up feeling rested with a pleasant flow about her person. She found it interesting that she was the first to wake up among her tent mates. Hinata and Hanabi were still sleeping. Yuuki crawled over, finding it just so cute to watch them sleep. Hanabi actually looked very innocent in her sleep, nothing like the stern heiress in waiting. Yuuki decided to play around a bit, poking the two lightly on their cheek. Hinata squirmed away and Hanabi tried to swat away her finger. Yuuki began to chuckle as lightly as she could get away with. She tried to poke them again but her luck was out. Hinata woke up, her byakugans blaring and glared at her. Time froze and they stayed in that position for a minute or two.

As suddenly as she'd surged up Hinata 'yipped' and ran under the covers of her sleeping bag. Yuuki frowned a bit before laughing out loud in merit. So Hinata could be a grouch when waking, she'd never imagined it. In her past life she'd always been at ease by Hinata's side, sleeping much longer than she would have otherwise. Hinata was usually the one who woke her up with a kiss or a sweet word or two.

"Be glad she didn't Jyuuken you" mumbled Hanabi, Yuuki could tell she was still half-asleep. Her expression looked so unguarded as she wiped at her eyes, scratching her head carelessly. She didn't even seem to notice what she was doing as she crawled out of their tent. Yuuki shook her head in wonder as she observed the Hyuuga siblings. She lightly patted the lump under Hinata's sleeping bag.

"Hinata I think we should be getting ready too" she cooed.

There was a grumble before finally a spot of dark raven hair could be seen under the blue sleeping bag. Slowly Hinata emerged again, with a scarlet blush on her cheeks; she nodded but didn't say anything. Yuuki shrugged, pulling her up and followed after Hanabi. But not before she rushed back in, remembering they'd forgotten their change of clothes. Hinata wasn't functional yet so she was grateful that Yuuki had gotten her clothes as well. They headed down to the river. Hanabi was already washing so they joined her. The cold water shocked the last bit of sleep from them. When they arrived back at camp the others were ready and waiting. Seras and Itachi seemed preoccupied, something Yuuki found strange but she shrugged it off.

They bid each other good morning and started their journey once again. With the light of the sun and warm weather they were able to cover much ground. Since they were so close to the town Yuuki didn't have to fake her poor health. They arrived at the Uchiha's villa hours later, slightly tired but excited at the same time. Yuuki and Naruto tried their best not to gap at the villa. The Uchihas of course were used to it; they lived there enough for it to be a granted thing. The Hyuuga heiresses without a doubt probably have villas of their own too. They didn't seem half as amazed, they certainly weren't gawking.

"Welcome to our summer villa" said Itachi, ushering them through the front gate. Yuuki and Naruto felt like their head might snap off their shoulders. What with all the turning they were doing to catching the full image of the massive front garden. It certainly was a beautiful sight, so many different flowers, with unique coloring to each adding to the beauty of the overall picture. Yuuki found herself breathing deep, taking in their aroma and smiling to herself. Itachi watched her reaction from the corner of his eye. He couldn't explain it but there was a bit of pride at the thought of her being awed by his family estate. He wasn't one to use his position or power to get anything. But it never hurt to know the focus of his attention appreciated his heritage.

A line of attendants greeted them at the front porch. They all wore traditional kimonos with the Uchiha symbol at the base of their neck. They bowed respectfully to the two Uchiha heirs. Yuuki could tell Naruto was flustered. In the future he'd get used to this kind of treatment, being the Hokage's successor and Hyuuga clan head by marriage. She gave Hinata a light push, causing the clueless shy Hyuuga heiress to stand by Naruto's side. Automatically he straightened to look good in her eyes and without knowing it in the eyes of the attendants.

"Welcome back young Master. We've received word about the preparations for today. Everything is proceeding as planned. We will inform you when the other guests arrive" said the head attendant, her face rigid but there was a softness to her gaze when she looked towards the Uchiha brothers. Yuuki decided she had to have been part of their childhood, maybe their nurse maid. She allowed herself to be led past the entryway, through the polished wood halls and into the large living room. She could feel the warmth from the fireplace enveloping the room, making it feel so cozy. Everything was so well furnished, the couch and chairs a nice matching velvet. They contrasted well against the black small side tables and glass center table. Yuuki felt like she was walking into a model home. Everything was so neat and perfect she wasn't sure she wanted to even seat on anything.

Thankfully Itachi made the move for her, taking a seat on the chair by the fireplace. He leaned back; relaxing a bit and she couldn't help but noticed how nicely the fire light played on his features. She found herself taking his example and seating on the couch closer to him. Slowly the others took their seats as well, finally feeling the trek on their muscles. Yuuki was happy to note Naruto was seated in between Hanabi and Hinata. While the younger sister didn't seem too thrilled by the idea of seating with a commoner, Hinata looked pleased. Had she not been the shy girl she was Yuuki had the feeling she'd be grinning.

"So what do you guys want to do first?" asked Naruto, never the type to seat still. Yuuki shrugged, her mind was on other things.

"Can we go see the town?" he asked, his voice tinged with excitement. Now Yuuki watched him with suspicion.

"What are you getting at Naruto?" she asked with a drawl to her voice.

"You see there's this really cool ramen store Sasuke was telling me about!" he gushed on not noticing the killer intent Yuuki was sporting.

Everyone watched in shock as she flew from her seat and tackled him into a headlock. Kyuubi grinned, having expected it. Seras sighed and the others were stomped. But somehow the Uchihas found the whole scuffle entertaining. In their monotone environment the two's actions was like a splash of color, unexpected but welcomed. Itachi allowed himself to smile a bit.

"What was that for?" asked Naruto when he was finally released.

_For being a bloody traitor!_ Thought Yuuki but she didn't say it. She simply huffed and headed out the room.

"Hey come on! You can't just choke a guy and not say anything. That's just wrong" he said, trailing after her. Sasuke rolled his eyes but followed after them. At the door he stopped and tilting his head towards the others in the room. "I'll keep them busy. Send a raven when you're done with the preparations".

"I will, have fun little brother" said Itachi, looking at his brother's back from the corner of his eye as he let his thoughts drift.

Hinata and Hanabi looked to one another. "Preparations?" they asked.

Seras gave them an apologetic smile. She'd wanted to fill them in on the plan all day but Yuuki and Naruto had been present. "It's Yuuki and Naruto's birthday today remember. We were planning to hold a surprise party at the villa since we're away from the cabin. Would you like to help?"

"Of course!"

Hinata felt the excitement building in her stomach. She'd always wanted to celebrate Naruto's birthday with him. In her dreams it had been just the two of them but she didn't mind everyone joining in. As long as the day was special, she was happy. She even had her present for Naruto in her backpack. She'd planned ahead when the Uchiha brothers had invited her to their villa. When she brought up the subject of presents she realized she was the only one in that department. Well maybe with Katsu and Seras but everyone else looked startled like they hadn't thought about it at all.

"I think I'll be heading out for a bit as well. Shisui?" offered Itachi as he headed for the hall. Shisui looked to Seras and then Itachi, placed in a tight spot. He wanted to stay with his sweet Seras and watch her do something so normal as decorating the house. But then he also felt curious about Itachi's new affection towards the youngest Hellsing. He had no doubt Itachi's sudden need for the outdoors was in an attempt to buy a last minute present. He wanted to watch his best friend perform his first human actions since birth. He gave Seras a peck on the cheek, startling her and jumped to follow Itachi. There, he'd be satisfied with that.

Everyone in the room except Kyuubi was startled by his sudden actions. Seras brought her cold hand back to her cheek, tracing the last lingering warmth from his kiss. She smiled a little, knowing it had been awhile since she'd had this sweet feeling bubbling inside her. She noticed the two Hyuuga sisters watching her and decided it was best to think on this another time. She got up. "Well I think we should get started, no time like the present after all!"

Kyuubi grinned. That had to be the best attempt at a distraction if he'd ever seen one. He got up and headed towards one of the attendants. "And the decoration would be..?"

"Right this way Hellsing-san".

* * *

That's it for now. review and tell me how you like it. As planned after their birthday, Naruto and Yuuki will enter the academy and then it's all fun and games from there. Can't wait right!


	18. Chapter 18: Happy Birthday

I guess I owe a lot of people a very deep apology. I really haven't been able to update in quite some time due to many reasons. I won't make excuses, I only hope you still give this story the same interest and attention as you did the first time you picked it up. My reviewers are very important to me so I'm very sorry for causing you reader's withdrawal. I know I've had my own fair share of that. Here we go.

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to  
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to  
You would cry too if it happened to you_

"_**it's my party" by Lesley Gore**_

* * *

**Chapter 18: Happy Birthday!**

Walking down the crowded city streets as an Uchiha is one thing. It's an entirely different experience walking with the Uchiha Itachi, child prodigy and greatest hope of the Uchiha clan. As the teen's best friend Shisui was used to this of course, but the constant glances, whispers, love-struck teenage girls and their mothers alike never ceased to amaze him. He'd made a point to count just how many girls would dare to cross paths with Itachi only to change their minds at the last minute and jump back in line with the rest. It was amusing to say the least.

Not rushing but not exactly walking at a leisurely pace, the two friends made their way around the market district. Occasionally they would get pulled into a store by an older merchant to take a look at their goods but for the most part they moved about aimlessly. They'd walk in, look around, never really touching anything and then they'd be out of the store again. Shisui, being the popular man that he was had already bought three gifts from the previous stores; one for Yuuki, the other for Naruto and the last for his beloved Seras. His friend on the other hand didn't fear too well. Who would have thought the boy genius would have so much trouble picking a gift for a girl.

Itachi didn't seem to be looking for anything in particular but at the same time nothing seemed to stand out. For some reason he didn't want to get something plain for Yuuki. He may not know the girl but from what he'd seen so far she was anything but plain. Sighing to himself, Itachi made a turn to the next store. The clerks at the counter were quick to greet him with enthusiasm. He moved towards the clothes first. Clothes were a sure bet right? Most girls loved getting a new outfit. He'd heard other female kounichi talking about their latest wardrobes, so this would please her right. But just which one would he get? He'd never paid enough attention to the clothes girls wore these days. Sure, enough to give a proper description for a mission report but not nearly enough to pick out something stylish. Itachi turned to look for Shisui. Out of the two of them Shisui had more female friends and dates. He'd be a better judge.

"Which one should I get for her?"

"Huh!" Shisui snapped back to attention. He'd been picturing Seras in one of the outfits on the store mannequins. Turning his attention back to his friend, he took a look at the outfits in question. To the right everything looks plain and laidback, to the left the shirts looked too exposing and the skirts too short. At the center, the clothes looked better fit for an adult audience. Nothing really screamed Yuuki. Shisui frowned; he could see why Itachi was having a hard time. "You could try to mismatch the items. Like maybe take the shirt from the right and mix it with one of the longer skirts on the left...if you can find any."

"…"

Shisui paused and repeated his sentence in his head and the utter idiocy of it hit him in the head. Yeah right, like Uchiha Itachi would know how to mix-match female clothing to make a proper outfit; how absurd. The guy barely cared about what he wore as long as it was functional for a shinobi! Covering his face with his left hand Shisui decided this would be a long day…a very long day.

Itachi watched his friend mirror his exhaustion and sighed. They were running out of time. From what Sasuke told him, Naruto could eat over 30 bowls of ramen but Itachi doubted the boy could eat anymore than that. Or rather, he hoped the boy wouldn't eat anymore than that. This meant he had to pick out his present for Yuuki quick if he wanted to beat the others back to the house. He decided buying clothes was a lost cause. He was about to move on to shoes when his eyes caught sight of the jewelry station. He paused in mid stride; a familiar meeting coming to mind.

_"Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" asked the store clerk._

_"No"_

_"Well what does she like?"_

"…"

_"Wait one minute while I go see what we've got"_

_He watched as the sales woman walked off toward the back of the store to get the catalogue book. He felt himself go stiff as she made her presence known to him. _

_"You looking for something?" her voice had been light with the whimsical impulse of an imp._

_"I believe you've already heard most of the conversation before now. You should know" his voice had been neutral but just this once he'd wished it sounded the same as everyone else. People always told him his voice sounds too cold to be human. _

_"Well would you like my help?" there was a bit of red on her cheeks that got him curious. He'd seen the blushing maiden act far too many times to count but for some reason this time it was different. He didn't mind it this time. He followed her and those alluring red eyes to the jewelry section. _

_"I don't know much about your mom but I think she'll appreciate something with feeling. Why not get her a pair of matching necklaces; one for her and one for you. Most people think stuff like that's cute." He'd watched her explain the reason for her gift. Watched how she seemed to pour her whole heart into it like she was getting the gift herself. It had been special; it wasn't something you'd get from a sales clerk. She really meant what she'd said. She'd really been thinking about his mother's relationship to him. For some reason the thought made him glad. _

_His eyes caught sight of the jade jewelry set and he felt this should be the one. Turning it to her attention, he'd almost felt normal. This was how normal kids hung out. Since he was young he'd always been training. The ways of being a normal teen were lost to him. But this girl, she almost made it seem possible. _

_"I think we've got a winner. So will you take the ring and give her the necklace and earrings?"She had a nice smile, earnest and kind. _

_"Thanks for the help" for once he truly meant it and it hadn't just been for the sake of polite talk. _

_"My name's Yuuki Hellsing. It's nice to meet you Uchiha-sama" A perfect name for her. For some reason he couldn't help but feel that way. She had the honest feelings of untouched snow. Her family name was interesting though. Hellsing, was it? _

_"Itachi is fine" for some reason he had to clear that up. He didn't want the distance of his family name invading this meeting. He wanted her to know him without the reverence he got from all of his fan club members. For some reason he wanted it to be different with her. _

_She'd been about to say something else, probably introduce her other companion flirting with the store attendant but at that moment Shisui showed up. He looked like he'd been running and he was clearly searching for Itachi from the shop doorway. Itachi felt his body grow heavy as he took steps back to his shinobi life. The comfortable moment being ripped away from him as he walked away from her turned back. _

"Earth to Itachi!"

Dark eyes blinked as he took note of Shisui waving his hands erratically in his face. With an elegant brow raised he walked past his friend and headed for the jewelry case. His eyes searching and catching sight of two ruby rings. They were bought designed for a male's finger, being bolder rather than slender and thin. But for some reason this didn't deter his thought process like the outfits situation had. He just knew this would be the right gift to give her.

"Ah, you've got very good eyes. Those were made by one of our best jewelers. She makes all the etchings and shapes by hand. A truly gifted woman she is."

Itachi looked up from the rings for the first time, to the store attendant in front of him. "I want these two rings. Can they be resized for me?"

The clerk attendant didn't have the usual blush on her face and her eyes seemed earnest about her job. Then again she was of a darker skin tone; maybe he just couldn't see it. But she only seemed to stare at the rings, his hands and his face. Clearly she was trying to figure out what his ring size was. It made him feel relieved; less cheated out of the experience. She wasn't just some crazy fangirl ready to agree with his every word.

"Yes, I think we could but it would take some time. How soon do you need them?"

Itachi sighed, leaning back. So this would be the problem again; time. Could they really get the rings ready in time? He didn't mind if they were delivered later just as long as he could give it to Yuuki sometime within the day.

"I need them today. One of them will be a present to a girl."

"Today!"

"It's impossible huh…hm."

The clerk, Lisa looked at the teen in front of her. To be honest those rings he'd been looking at for the past fifteen minutes had been made by her mother. She really didn't want to sell them to just anyone. But looking at this boy, she didn't mind it as much. He just seemed right for one of her mother's creations. She only hoped the girl he was giving this ring to had as much character to her or else the ring would suffer. She wasn't an object lover but if there was one thing she cared deeply for, it was rings. She was raised around them, taught to make them and cherish them. She hated it every time she had to sell a ring to someone who'd obviously toss it away later. But this kid, she could tell he wasn't like that. The way he looked so intently at the rings. He might just be the kind to understand how to cherish them.

"No worries, it'll be a stiff job but we can have them done towards the end of the day. Would you like to come back and pick them up yourself or would you rather we deliver them?"

Itachi felt the relief wash over him at her reassurance. So there was still a chance. He'd been so set on the rings; he doubted he'd be able to find another suitable present with the time they had left. "Thank you very much, if possible I'd prefer it to be delivered. Here's the address."

He gave her one of the informant cards he usually carried with him. She read it once and smiled. "Thank you very much for you purchase today sir. Will that be all?"

"Yes, thank you very much…I might come again. You have a good selection." He said, never being one to give buttery compliments but for some reason he felt it needed this time. This Lisa had really done him a favor. He wouldn't forger it. Turning he headed back over to Shisui and together they made their way out of the store.

Lisa watched them leave with a smile, and then turned back to the chosen rings. "Better get to work then Mom."

* * *

**Scene Skip**

Yuuki, Sasuke and Naruto were seating in the ramen stand, eating ramen as you'd expect. Sasuke was still on his first bowl, being someone with little love for ramen. Yuuki and Naruto on the other hand were another story. They'd downed their tenth bowl minutes ago and were working on their eleventh. Sasuke watched from the sidelines in a mix of disgust and awe. Was it really possible to eat that much ramen in one seating and not detest its very existence the next day. It was all so strange, and yet the impossibility of it all seemed to fit the two like a glove. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if the two were twins? Everything that mattered said 'no' but all the others said 'yes'; very strange indeed.

"Sasuke, you eating or not?" of cause that is what Naruto meant to ask but what came out was a bunch of slurs from his slurping. He stopped eating entirely when he got a sharp pinch to the side. He glared at Yuuki. "Hey what was that for? You've been attacking me all day!"

The other blonde gave him a level glare of her own. "One; you sold me out, two; don't start eyeing other people's food before you even finish yours. Besides I called first dibs on Sasuke's ramen if he can't finish it."

Naruto's eyes bugged. "When was that? I don't remember you saying anything!"

Yuuki gave him one of her charming sly grins. "I just did."

Sasuke watched them fight it out over his ramen. He looked down at the bowl in front of him, it was still half full. Then he looked back at the two blondes. Suddenly an evil impulse rose inside of him and he smirked. With an enthusiasm he'd never had before he slurped down those salty noodles with as much composure he could muster. The two blondes stopped fighting long enough to watch, their mouths hanging wide.

"Why!"

With a triumphant smirk, Sasuke wiped down his mouth and called for the stall attendant. The bubbly girl came bounding over, hearts in her eyes. "Yes, Uchiha-sama!"

The two watched a shiver rack down the young Uchiha's body at the sound of the stand girl's hyper voice. They had the curtsey to let Sasuke pay for their meal and the girl to walk a good distant away before they busted out laughing.

"Oh Uchiha-sama!" mimics Naruto, fake stars in his eyes.

"Oh yes, Uchiha-sama!" cries Yuuki, following along.

Tick Tick!

"Shut up you dolts!" yelled Sasuke, a vein popping and his brows twitching. Really what he wouldn't do for better company. Thankfully the descending sun gave him a much needed distraction. He looked towards the horizon and noted that most of the day was gone. Had they really stayed that long? He looked back to the others, took note of the stacked bowls and sighed. Yes, yes they had. The others should be done with their preparations by now. It should be safe to head back.

"I think it's high time we went back. I'm sure Ni-san and the others must be wondering where we are" said Sasuke. The last thing he needed was for the two twin terrors to decide they hadn't had enough ramen and go for a second round. His wallet wouldn't last a second round.

Yuuki chuckled and stood, stretching a bit. "I guess you're right. Ready Naruto?"

Naruto seemed to eye his several empty bowls with sad longing. Crying dramatically he replied, "Yes, It's such a shame to leave my dear ramen but no worries I'll be back for you!"

"Ramen lover."

"Dope."

The three turned and started heading back towards the resident area of town. Not noticing the redhead that got up and left right after them, having never touched his ramen.

The trip back to the mansion was short despite Sasuke stalling for time. While Yuuki and Naruto were the curious lot, they seemed to prefer to explore with the rest of the group rather than on their own. Yuuki said something about it being unfair to those who didn't get to see it. Sasuke didn't really care; he only hoped everyone back at the mansion were done with the arrangements. He'd done his part of the deal as far as he was concerned.

"Welcome back Uchiha-sama" called the maids.

"Where are the others?" asked Sasuke, taking off his shoes along with the rest.

"The last time I saw them they were in the living room, Uchiha-sama."

"Is everything set?" asked Sasuke, checking to see if the two blondes heard him from the corner of his eye. They didn't seem to have heard anything, too busy comparing their shoe sizes.

"Yes Uchiha-sama. Your parents arrived along with the head of the Hyuuga clan and Hokage-sama. They're all waiting in the living room with the others."

"Thank you, good work. We'll be going to join them now. You guys, hurry up will you. I highly doubt the academy refuses students based on shoe size…idiots" mumbled Sasuke as he walked further inward.

The two blondes stopped arguing long enough to realize someone had interfered in their epic battle. There was a pause as they looked to one another and then to Sasuke.

"How would you know chicken-butt head!"

For a second Sasuke's steps faltered, he was tempted to turn around and beat their asses but he changed his mind and kept going. It wouldn't do to have the birthday girl and boy come in looking worse for wear. He led the two annoying brats back to the living room.

"Ah! Oji-san! Why are you here?"

"Naruto it's not very good to point" chided Sarutobi from his seat.

Yuuki paused, looking from Seras to Kyuubi. Just what could be going on?

"Hiashi-sama, Uchiha-sama, Hokage-sama why are you here?" she asked.

"Why, Yuuki you silly girl, to celebrate you and Naruto's birthday of course!" chirped Mikoto, giving the two a big hug. Yuuki noticed Naruto tense up and for a moment she feared he'd refuse the woman's warmth but he didn't. He accepted Mikoto after awhile, making her smile. Retracting herself from the hug, Mikoto gave them all a big smile. "Well, I hope you don't mind but we'll be hosting your birthday party in my house."

"Happy Birthday!" screamed everyone.

"Ah!" Yuuki and Naruto were shocked not only by the new piece of information but also the sudden burst of streamers. Looking around they realized for the first time that there were decorations everywhere.

"Ninjutsu?" asked Yuuki.

"Yup kit. I wanted to see the shock on your faces, I even brought a camera" said Kyuubi, his voice pleasant. Pulling at the two's cheeks till they were a nice red, he slapped the pink party hats on their heads and shoved them forward. "What are you standing around for? We made all this just for you guys. Get to it!"

"Yes sir!" cried the two, mimicking the military pose of an officer to his sergeant. The rest chuckled.

"Come this way you two, this is only the beginning. The rest of the party is in the backyard" ushers Mikoto, very pleased to be part of this event. The Uchiha household has rarely hosted events this lively. For her it was a nice change of pace.

And so the party got underway in full; presents were passed and opened, the large twin cake cut and little mini-games attempted. The adults watched the fest from the sidelines, playing a game of cards on the porch.

"I must thank you for allowing us to host this event Katsu-san" said Fugato, watching Sasuke play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with the rest. His son looked happy, happier than he'd been recently.

"Nah, we should be thanking you for letting us host it here. We hadn't really considered what we'd have done otherwise" said Katsu, looking nonchalantly at his cards.

"But I must say I haven't seen the children this happy in awhile" said Mikoto, a bright smile on her face as she paid more attention to her children than her hand of cards. She couldn't help but notice how vibrant Sasuke looked around Yuuki. For the first time she was seeing him all smiles and smirks. She'd feared he was closing himself off like Itachi for some time now. In her opinion the Hellsings couldn't have come at a better time in her family's life.

Hiashi couldn't help but agree as well, watching Hinata and Hanabi openly participating in the games together. They looked so relaxed; without hunched shoulders carrying the burdens of a clan's future. The sight eased his heart a bit.

"But I find it amazing how alike two people can get. If I didn't know better I'd say Naruto and Yuuki were twins separated at birth" said Sarutobi, laying down his hand.

The others gave grunts of agreement as they prepared to fold. Katsu gave them all a smirk fitting of a fox. "I wouldn't say so. Those two are as close as oil and water; it just takes time to see the differences. Now ladies and gents I'm afraid I win this round" he said, laying down his hand.

"A royal flush!"

"Unbelievable" mutter Fugato.

"Can't be helped" sighed, Mikoto.

"I suppose so Katsu-san" said Sarutobi in resignation but he couldn't help but look at the two blondes once more.

Yuuki noticed his stare and waved, too happy to really do anything else.

"Yuuki-chan"

"Ah! Itachi-kun, sorry didn't see you there"

_But I certainly feel you now!_ She thought through her pleasant smile. Maybe it was because she'd been yae close to taking a deep swig from his throat. Or maybe it was just a natural occurrence between the two but ever since the night before, she was more alert to his presence. It was like her chakra radar was constantly locked onto him. It's partially due to this sudden awareness that she was so surprised of his sudden appearance. She'd been so sure he'd been talking with Shisui and Seras a moment ago. She looked back to where she'd seen them talking. Yup, Shisui and Seras still stood as they'd been but no Itachi. The boy knew how to move, she'd give him that.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to give you your present. It's a bit later than the others, I hope you don't mind. I gave Naruto his just a moment ago" he said, his voice just too earnest for her to really care how late it came.

Smiling, Yuuki stretched out her hands. He chuckled, "Actually I'd rather give it to you elsewhere. Come with me."

Before she could protest he'd taken her hand and was leading her through the garden. She watched as the colorful flowers zipped past her, not really knowing where they were going. But there was an exhilaration there that she couldn't deny. Finally he came to a stop, gently bracing her with his arm so she didn't trip from the sudden stop. Yuuki righted herself, taking note that they were now at the center of the large garden. He led her to the fountain side now, with less haste this time. Yuuki sat down, running her hand through the cool water as she waited for him to speak again. He watched her for a moment, liking the way the water reflected clearly in her vibrant eyes.

Reaching in his pocket he said, "Close your eyes and count to three."

Giving him a grin for his obvious ploy, she did as she was told; closing her eyes and counting to three. When she opened them once more, she was staring at two beautiful silver ruby rings. They were so breathtaking she could barely bring herself to look away from them and rather to their giver. "Where did you get these?"

Itachi allowed himself to smile a bit. So his choice hadn't been wrong. "I take it you like them."

Her grin widened to smile, "Like them, I love them!"

Picking up the smaller of the two he took hold of her slender hand and placed the ring on her middle finger. She watched, her breath hitched by the significance of how grand this all seemed. Her eyes watched those strong fingers as they took hold of the other ring, placing it on the same finger on his hand. Bringing his right hand up so she could see how snugly the ring sat on his finger, he said "You remember the first time we met?"

She smiled even more now if it were possible. Gently touching her counter-part she spoke, "Yes, I remember. You were looking for a present for your mother. You looked so out of sorts."

He had the grace to smirk to the truth of her words.

"I told you to get the jewelry set for her because it would tie you two together…"

"Yes, my mother loved the gift by the way. I was hoping this could be the same. Yuuki Hellsing I don't know what I seek from this bond but for now I would like to get to know you. Is that alright?" he asked, his dark eyes bearing into hers.

Staring right back at him, she whispered "I don't see why not, I look forward to getting to know you too, Uchiha Itachi."

* * *

Well that's this chapter. Sorry if it's lost a bit of its precision, I just got back my mojo after all. Thanks.


	19. Chapter 19: it's a start

_Welcome to the jungle we take it day by day_  
_If you want it you're gonna bleed but it's the price you pay_  
_And you're a very sexy girl whose very hard to please_  
_You can taste the bright lights but you won't get them for free_

_In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_  
_Feel my, my, my, my serpentine_  
_I, I wanna hear you scream_

_Welcome to the jungle it gets worse here everyday_  
_You learn to live like an animal in the jungle where we play_  
_If you got a hunger for what you see, you'll take it eventually_  
_You can have anything you want but you better not take it from me_

_"**Welcome to the jungle" by Guns N Roses**_

* * *

Chapter 19: It's a start

"_Naruto! Are you listening to me!" _

_The shrill yell brought his attention back to the front of the classroom, face to face with a very angry teacher. Mrs. Hanaida, a substitute teacher that most academy students prayed never to have at night. Today however, they were unfortunate to have Iruka-sensei out with a cold. She'd been quick to instate herself as their new substitute teacher, even adding her own trinkets to Iruka's desk as though she owned it. Not that it mattered to Naruto at this point. All teachers were the same. They'd take one look at him, find something they didn't like and ignore him for the rest of the year. This was his final year at the academy and he still couldn't complete a single clone. Shows how much fate he had in their teaching skills. _

_So now he was just doing what he always did; seat at the back and doodle or sleep. He wasn't the only one doing this mind you but for some reason teachers tend to have a mean streak of noticing him when he was off task. Only then did they pay attention long enough to give detention or some other punishment. Mrs. Hanaida was no different. _

_With her huge arms at her sides, she looked pointedly at him. "Care to share some of your royal presence Naruto, or are we boring you?" she said in a snide tone. The other kids laughed, as always the peanut gallery thing never got old for them. _

_Quite frankly it was getting old for Naruto. Were it not for Jiji he may have thought of dropping out and becoming Hokage another way. That would show them, someone who'd never graduated The Academy becoming Hokage. But he also knew he wouldn't do it. He wasn't a born quitter. Still he had a role to play as the class clown. He'd give them just the entertainment they've been expecting from this charade. _

"_Oh no, I was listening. You have a great voice." Loud enough to raise the dead, he wanted to add but kept it to himself. _

"_Care to answer the math problem on the board then?" she taunted, knowing full well he wouldn't know the answer. _

_Pretending as though he were looking in his notebook for pointers for the answer, he walked towards the board with a confidence no one understood. At first it looked like he was actually going to solve the problem, he kept moving too much for people to really see what he was doing. It became clear however by the tenth stroke that he was actually drawing a bigger version of his prior doodle. There was a hush over the whole class at first, it soon gave way to a thunder of laughter and Mrs. Hanaida's screams. _

"_How dare you! Well I hope you had a happy laugh because that stunt just scored you detention young man. I'd give you extra homework too if I wasn't wise enough to know it'll just lead to nothing. Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain" she mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear and this of course got another laugh from the students. Naruto simply walked back to his seat. _

_The laughing didn't sting him; they couldn't, not anymore…_

Yuuki woke up from her catnap, startled. She should have expected such dreams. What with the Academy opening tomorrow. Still her memories from her younger days there hadn't been fun. Just thinking of the dream made her melancholy and glad to have saved Naruto some of the grief.

It's been three months since the birthday party at the Uchiha villa. Most of everything has gone back to normal; the three families still find time to socialize with each other but one thing's got everyone distracted. School. It's finally time for the Academy to open back up this year for the new recruits. Everyone is too busy buying school supplies and doing last minute training in hopes of being ahead of their class. At the Hellsing cottage, preparations were being made as well. On one of the rare days Naruto wasn't present at the cottage, the other inhabitants got down to discuss things.

"Alright Kit, what exactly is your plan?" asked Kyuubi, leaning back in his chair.

The young blonde looked up from her pile of books. She'd been arranging them for class tomorrow before the catnap. Later she and Naruto planned to go shopping for the rest of their school needs. "Nothing flashy if that's what you're asking. I just want to set thing right; keep Sasuke from becoming a selfish prick, if possible get Sakura and Ino to understand a true Kunoichi's strength earlier on and bring Naruto's damn grades up."

With his index finger to his chin, Kyuubi thought on her proposal. It sounded plausible enough. If she succeeded it would definitely change things but not to the point they wouldn't know what happens next. That was the best they could hope for. "And the Uchiha Masscare?"

She pause her bag packing for a second, her blue eyes taking a serious tone. "We won't be letting that happen, no matter the cost on our part. Speaking of which, I would like you to send out some fox familiars to watch over the clans. I need to know what's really going on in Konoha. How far Madara has gotten with the clan and if it isn't only the Uchiha clan he's got under his wings. A few other random summons for a general surveillance on the village wouldn't be too bad, I think"

"I see…" murmured Kyuubi, his red eyes watching her closely. He could guess what she was planning but for now he wouldn't question it. As long as she was sure of her orders and their consequences, he wouldn't nag.

"Naruto should be coming with Sasuke soon for your last shopping trip Yuuki. I'll finish the rest of your packing" offered Seras.

"Thanks, I just need to pack my blank scrolls and I'll leave the rest to you"

Knock Knock

The three occupants looked towards the front door. Kyuubi whistled, "Speak of the devil. While you're out I'll be in the den, call if you need anything. Shopping money is on the table, feel free to go wild and do keep Naruto away from that hideous mistake of a jumpsuit. And if he persists, at the very least get him one with taste."

"Will do" she gave him a thumbs-up for emphasis. Grabbing the spare cash on the table, she rushed over to the door to meet her friends. "Hey guys! Ready?"

"hm…" Sasuke simply raised a brow at her excitement.

"You bet, I just got my allowance from Jiji" chirped Naruto.

Walking into place between the two boys, they made their way down towards the Village. As expected it was busy, people bustling around and kids playing on the streets; getting in their last moments of fun. To be honest Yuuki didn't know how she really felt. Yes, she was anxious to have the academy period started so her plans could get underway but at the same time. Being in the same classroom, with the same old faces and yet noticing the differences of the time period she was in. She wasn't sure she could take it. As it stands every time she looked at Hinata, Sasuke, Neji and Naruto her heart always gave painful twinges. Would seeing them all finally break her? It's the question she's been asking herself for a couple of nights now.

"Yuuki! Yu-u-ki!"

"Huh?" she blinked to see Naruto and Sasuke watching her closely. Frowning, she took note of where they were exactly. They were standing outside of one of Konohagakure's infamous shinobi stores. She remembered this store; it was the same one she usually shopped at in her past life. Tenten's family weapons shop should be right next to it. Sure enough, right beside the large building was another red brick building. As always the chimney was a haze of black smoke from the forge, the name 'Slayer's den' written in a bold red. The familiar sight brought a smile to Yuuki's face. She'd like to go in there sometime. Maybe after they were done at this store, she could pretend to be looking for new kunais. She wouldn't need real kunais for her first academy year, none of the kids would. They'd be throwing blunt wooden kunais into haystacks. Still, the pretense of wanting to see real ones could work, right?

"Yuuki, you still with us?" asked Naruto, arms crossed with a frown.

Shaking of her daze, she gave them a reassuring smile. "Yup, still with ya. Say, why don't we go into that store after we're done with this one?"

Sasuke seemed to be thinking on it, no doubt thinking about the possibility of picking a partner weapon early. Finally he nodded in consent. "I don't see why not."

"Cool!"

"What's got you so excited anyway?" asked Naruto, a curious gleam in his blue eyes.

Smiling from ear to ear, she didn't answer him and rather marched into the store ahead. The boys looked to one another before deciding to indulge their new friend's crazy whims and leave it at that. Inside the store there was a cool vibe; upbeat music playing in the background, youths of different ages searching the shelves and racks. Sasuke was quite happy when he noticed, after being in the store for 30 seconds no noisy store clerk came rushing their way. This would have to be one of the few stores that valued their customer's personal space.

At first they searched the store as a group for the last of their school supplies but towards the second half people started moving on their own whim. Sasuke strayed over to the sealing scrolls and ninjutsu books for beginners and the intermediate level. Naruto soon after rushed over to the explosion tag section, no doubt thinking of a different function for those tags. Konoha wouldn't be sleeping for a while then, thought Yuuki as she too made her way to her own personal choice. The clothing section. Quite frankly, she found it sweet and flattering that Kyuubi took so much time making a wardrobe for her but…She was tired of dresses. While she was getting used to being female, the truth of the matter remains that she was for all intentions purposes a male in her past life. A life she still remembers as clear as day. Suffice to say she'd rather try to go for the more unisex route for now.

Hanger by hanger, she searched the shorts section for something fitting of the image she was going for. She'd always love orange but this time she hoped she and Naruto could get through the Academy without being walking neon signs. A little bit of orange was fine, with a mix of black perhaps and maybe some reds. Smiling to herself, she reached for the perfect outfit. Grabbing a pair of orange pumpkin shorts from one section and a red tank top from the discount section, she headed for the jackets. A shinobi must always be prepared for all kinds of weather after all. In the midst of thousands of crumpled discount jackets, she found just the right one; a deceptively light orange jacket with a fur-lined hood, pleasantly detachable. Trying it on, she found it to be quite warm, retaining heat from the inside. Now for her favorite part about shopping; shoes.

Not many knew it but she was a big fan of fashionable shoes. As a male she couldn't really explore that realm quite as much as she'd have liked to. But now that was all different, at the moment she is a girl. No one would question her gushing over shoes…well be Kyuubi if he was there. But that's just it, he wasn't. So she could feel free to go as wild as she pleased. Upon reaching the shoe section she headed straight for the low-heeled shoes. As much as she liked cool looking shoes she wasn't about to try high-heels. She'd done it once in her past life as Naruko, for a secret mission. It had been hell on earth. Worst part was she wasn't allowed to show just how much they hurt. Deciding she'd had enough of plain sandals, she looked over at the boots. She wanted something between comfort and 'hey I've got edge'. She found just that in a pair to her right, down the long row. Better still, they were orange and gold, melding with a darker brown to ground the brightness.

At first all she could do was stop and stare, stars shinning in her eyes. But then reality of it all rushed in and she grabbed them off the shelf, looking anxiously about her person. For a moment she'd gone territorial over the shoes.

"I guess you really love shoes…" drawled Sasuke, watching her with a rather annoying look.

Refraining from damaging her image further, she simply stuck up her nose and walked back over to the clothes. While Naruto was just fine going to the academy with his usual clothes or the dreaded orange jumpsuit she knew he had somewhere in his small closet, she wasn't. She'd pick him out something new to wear to school. A new beginning deserved a good start after all. Being a female had perks, she was beginning to understand what women saw when they looked at a guy. Well, she doubted she'd ever get to the point of understanding the romantic part of it but at least she understood the fashionable part. She was starting to get what made an outfit cool and what made it lame. If she could pick something she liked, something that was on the border of cool and orange, she was sure to win Naruto over.

While Kyuubi seemed to have an aversion to jumpsuits, she didn't mind them so much. As long as they weren't entirely neon orange, screaming kill me. Taking her time to search through the racks she spotted just the kind of jumpsuit she wouldn't mind Naruto wearing. It was orange in color yes, but the orange was equally matched with red and black flame designs. Looking at it more closely, she realized the sleeves and bottoms could be folded up or left long. This was good. Keeping from squealing in glee, she rushed over to Naruto. He'd moved from the explosive tags to paint. She could just see where this was going, but that aside, she presented the jumpsuit to him. He seemed consider it for a minute, which made her pause. She'd thought with them being one in the same; their taste should match. He should be gushing just as she was right now. It took ten seconds of resistance before he finally let it show that in fact he was gushing on the inside. Smirking at her victory they paid for their things and headed over to the weapon's shop next door.

It was just as she'd remembered, upon arrival they were greeted with the sudden rise in warmth from the forge. It was further back in the store but you could still feel the heat from the door. Smiling she stepped in, noting she'd spotted one of Tenten's siblings by the arm shields. Had it been her time period the little girl would have rushed over to her, crying her name in welcome. Yuuki frowned; too many things weren't the same. She finally noticed Naruto and Sasuke had walked further into the store, looking at the display case. She chuckled, and some things would always be the same.

Walking leisurely over to the two, she too took a look at the display case. Maybe she'd see a weapon she recognized from her time. To her disappointment there wasn't. All the Katanas and broadsword, Kunais and axes were unfamiliar to her.

"Aren't you guys a bit too young to be getting partner weapons yet?" came a familiar voice.

Yuuki turned; a smile on her face as she saw an 11 year old Tenten. "We are, we were just looking."

"If that's the case then that's fine. Take your time and enjoy the sight, you won't see this kind of craftsmanship anywhere else. I should know, my father made them all. Welcome to our store by the way. My name's Tenten."

"Nice to meet you, my name is Yuuki Helena Hellsing." Yuuki grinned as the two shook hands, later pointing to the boys behind her. "The blonde one's Naruto and the statue's Sasuke."

"Just who are you calling a Statue, blondie!"

She was about to say more when Tenten started laughing. The three watched in a silent confusion of sorts. Once her laughing fit was over Tenten righted herself, "Sorry about that. I kinder know who the other two were. I was just surprised is all. I thought Uchiha Sasuke would be a stuck-up-know-it-all with an attitude from the stuff I hear. Guess I was wrong; no one with that much rage and emotion can be like that. You see, I have one of those 'statue-types' on my genin team so I'd know."

Feigning ignorance Yuuki asked, "You're already a genin?"

Tenten nodded, "It'd kind of be a shame if I wasn't at this age. Usually most people graduate before they're 13. I'd have to say the only time people graduate at another age is usually when they're more advance and graduate early. Take Sasuke's older brother for example. Uchiha Itachi graduated at age 7."

While the speech had been informative, Yuuki could tell it had affected Sasuke. His facial expression had chilled and he was giving Tenten a rather harsh glare. Deciding it was best to change pace and do some damage control, Yuuki tried to end the conversation. "Oh is that so, well I think we should get going since we aren't really buying anything. We wouldn't want to take up all of your time. I guess you'll be seeing us later, either for our partner weapons or when we're getting missions. See ya!"

The two blondes waved as they left but Sasuke was a dark cloud. Naruto didn't understand their abrupt need to leave, so he asked Yuuki. She gave him a tight smile and looked towards Sasuke. While the two had a rivalry going on, she doubted it would match the one going on between Sasuke and his older brother. The sad part was the rivalry was mostly one-sided between the two. She stopped walking once they got to the park. "How about we have a break ok?"

"Sure, fine by me" said Naruto with a shrug.

Sasuke looked at her and she could see the relief in his eyes. With a smile she told them to wait as she headed over to the ice-cream stand. She found it strange that Naruto didn't come with her to get one for himself. But then she realized he'd probably done it to avoid a scene. The man at the stand would have ignored him after all.

The two boys watched her go, each focused on thoughts of their own. Sasuke hadn't pegged Yuuki to be a sensitive person but he was glad she'd sensed his need to leave. He always hated it when people compared him to his brother. Oh, he loved his brother. There is no doubt about that but sometimes when he saw people staring at him, he always wondered. Were they staring at him and seeing him or were they staring at what they expected him to be? To put it simply, he wasn't his brother and he'd rather not have people compare them. The fact that Yuuki figured that out from the short time she knew him, made him want to commend her.

Running back with three ice-cream cones in her hand, she rejoined the group. "I'm back. Ya miss me?"

"As if" retorted Sasuke but the smirk on his face said otherwise. Smiling because she knew the truth, Yuuki gave him the cone with the vanilla ice cream. "Here's yours" she handed Naruto the strawberry one. "I guess we should be heading home now. It's getting late."

"Yeah that's true" agreed Naruto, taking note of the waning sun.

"Naruto, you staying over at our place today?" asked Yuuki, taking a lick of her vanilla ice cream.

Again, he considered it before deciding answering. "I guess so, I have a feeling if I go back to my place I'll sleep in and be late for tomorrow."

Yuuki nodded, "I understand ya, who ever thought up starting classes at 8 in the morning was one mean jerk."

"Tell me about it. Well we might as well part ways here. The Cottage is by the forest outside the inner village, my house is this way. The opposite" said Sasuke, finishing the last of his ice cream.

Yuuki chuckled, who'd have thought Sasuke would agree to such a statement; so much for being the model student. Smiling they gave each other high-fives before parting, though Sasuke seemed a bit reluctant to participate in it.

* * *

**Scene Skip**

"_Who…Who are you…shouldn't be…here…impossible…leave…extra piece…"_

Yuuki woke up gasping for breath. For a second there she'd felt like someone had been choking her. The voice she'd heard in her dreams had been harsh. It had sounded like the voice of a woman and yet it held the firm reprimanding of a male. It had been strange, leaving a sudden chill running through her body. What had the voice meant _extra piece_; certainly, if one thought of her situation that would be the truth. Sighing, she got out of bed, pushing Seras a bit as she did.

To be honest her new caretaker destroyed the fantasy of the ever elegant vampire. If only Shisui could see her now; sprawled out on their double bed… After brushing her teeth and taming her bed hair, she made a stop by Kyuubi and Naruto's bedroom. "Wake up you two! Time to start the day. Katus you remember you're walking us to school today!"

She grinned at the many groans and shoving she heard as she continued back to her room. Now she could finally shower and get dressed, knowing she'd given Naruto a fair chance at getting ready for school with her.

"Yuuki, I think you're forgetting something" mumbled Seras, still groggy.

"Huh, what?" asked a puzzled Yuuki, she was sure she had everything packed and ready.

Seras smiled, "How about your black stockings and a hug from yours truly?'

Yuuki chuckled, "Of course, how could I ever forget that."

Giving her new guardian a chaste but affectionate hug, she grabbed the stockings from her hand and put them on. With her new red backpack hanging loosely on her right shoulder, she rushed into the living room. Naruto was waiting for her, dressed in his new jump suit and a knapsack for his books, eating cup ramen. She eyed him warily, could he really have gotten ready before her without forgetting something. Deciding she'd find out when class begins, she hopped into the kitchen for a quick snack. Thankfully the Academy served Lunch for those without lunch boxes. She hadn't thought to prepare one the night before.

She met Katsu in the kitchen, taking a swig from a sake bottle. She raised a brow to this. "Do I even want to know why you're drinking first thing in the morning?'

He shook his head, suddenly energized. "You'll find kit that when you grow to be as old as me, this is the best medicine of all."

"hm-hm, I bet Obaachan would agree with you. Anyway, shouldn't we get going? I'd hate to be late."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes, "Prude, it's not like you haven't been late for about 15 years of your life."

"I blame that partially to Kakashi by the way" she commented as she rummaged the fridge.

"Yup, except you only got to know him from when you were 12. You're 25 now kit, you do the math." He said with a drawl as he left the room. Yuuki hated to admit it but she did need to do the math. Counting with her mind she realized he meant she'd been late before knowing Kakashi. Hissing, she stuffed the last sandwich in her mouth and rushed out after him. Bloody Fox. The three headed over to the Academy from there, Seras deciding to seat this one out. The rough days at the police academy had been enough for her. No more schools for now please.

Upon arrival they were quick to spot Sasuke, he and his brother were already crowded by fangirls. The two blondes laughed at this of course, until they felt a sudden rush of killer intent come their way. Their eyes caught sight of a very angry Uchiha Sasuke, looking dead straight at them. Swallowing down the last of their chuckles, they rushed over to save their friends. The girls of course did not appreciate this and some did shove back. However when one tried to forcefully push Naruto aside, she was met with a harder shove from an annoyed Yuuki.

"You got a problem?"

The unnamed girl cowered and stepped aside. Finally reaching the Uchihas, Yuuki smirked. "Already starting a riot are we?"

"It's not like I wanted one" muttered Sasuke, stalking into the large building. Yuuki frowned and looked towards Itachi but he looked to be just as annoyed by the earlier situation.

"Must be tough being an Uchiha huh" whispered Naruto.

"You have no idea" said Yuuki, thinking on all the difficulties ahead for Sasuke. They too joined the two, heading for the receptionist desk to sign the necessary forms for admittance with their guardians. Of course the receptionist tried to put up a fuss when Naruto's turn came around. However with stern glares from both Katsu and Itachi, she found herself mumbling and nodding as she filed away the papers. Finally, she handed them their schedules over the desk and did no better than to rush them out of her office. It had been rude but the group decided they'd had just about enough of her too, so they said nothing more on the matter.

"Looks like you guys are all sorted out. Well, I'll be heading back now. Call if anything happens...and Yuuki be sure to look after your health" cautioned Katsu, his red eyes trained on her.

The blonde girl nodded, surprising him with a hug as he turned to leave. Though caught off guard, Katsu accepted the hug, reaching out to pull Naruto into the hug too. At first he fussed but it was all for show, he was just as anxious as Yuuki and this calmed him down to no end. The three newly recruited academy students watched as Itachi and Katsu left.

"Guess we should get going. I don't see many people in the halls anymore" said Yuuki.

"Who's your homeroom teacher?" asked Sasuke.

"Umino Iruka, you?" said Naurto as he looked at the list of classes.

"Same" said Sasuke before looking pointedly at Yuuki, as if daring her to say another name. She nodded an affirmative and they all smiled. So, they'd be in the same class, good. Reading the classroom signs, they finally came across room 2A. Yuuki hesitated a bit at the door, her hand inches away from the slide handle. However the choice of cowardice was taken away from her when a tan hand took firm grip of the handle and slid the door aside with a loud bang. Of course this got the attention of the whole gathering class. Kids stopped to stare at the new comers, gauging them in their minds.

Yuuki noticed Sakura shoot up in her seat. "What was that for?" the pink haired girl questioned, clearly angered by Naruto's actions.

The blonde boy just chuckled darkly before announcing. "My name is Uzumaki Naurto and I will be the next Hokage!"

The two behind him were just as startled as everyone else but then smirks found their way to their faces. This was Naruto after all, one couldn't expect any less. Breezing through the frozen crowd they found seats in a row right before Hianta's. The shy Hyuuga heiress waved as they took up their seats.

"Did you have to do that Dobe. Look, they're still shocked" commented Sasuke with a smirk on his face.

Naruto just gave him a foxy grin as all hell broke out behind them as their classmates came to their senses. First came the loud whispers and gossip, then the angry growls of challenge and then two angry fangirls. Yuuki watched Sakura and Ino approach her like charging bulls. Really she wished she had a camera with her, she'd like to show this to them once their rehabilitation was over and they'd gotten over their puberty-ridden crush. They came to a halt on either side of her, glaring down at her.

"That is my seat, you can get off it now!" shrieked Sakura. This of course caused Ino to turn on her, so much for teamwork. "What do you mean your seat! It's mine, I'm seating next to Sasuke forehead-girl. Or you don't have enough brains to remember such obvious things!"

"What did you say Pig-brain" retorted Pinky.

Yuuki sighed, leaning on her left palm as she watched them squabble. From the corner of her eyes she noticed Sasuke's growing annoyance. He'd blow up any minute and while she'd love to see him tell 'em both off, she knew he'd go overboard. Delicacy wasn't something in Uchiha Sasuke's dictionary, along with 'forgiveness'.

"Um…excuse me you two. Good, I have your attention. See, I don't see any of your names on this seat or anything that says it's reserved so I'm guessing it's free. You might want to get back to your _own_ seats before the teacher comes though. I'd hate to be the first one to piss Iruka off right off the bat. It wouldn't be good for your health, trust me" drawled Yuuki, all the while doodling in her new notebook.

The two looked like they'd eaten something sour and everyone went silent, watching the confrontation. Sasuke and Naruto seemed to be enjoying the show, the latter laughing his ass off. Finally the two girls reacted, ready to rip Yuuki apart when the slide door opened once more. Iruka walked in, took note of the silent class, the two girls glaring at another female student seated next to Sasuke Uchiha and sighed. People just couldn't cut him some slack now could they? He and the other teachers had placed a bet on whose class the Uchiha child prodigy would be in. It would have been a wanted and at the same time unwanted honor. Wanted because the class average would go up, no matter what other students happened to be in the class. Unwanted because you were likely to be at the hospital every day, dealing injured female students. Lucky him…not!

"Would you two see it fit to get back to your seats before I start deducting points and handing out detention. Not a very good way to start now is it?" he said, glaring down at the two with a little bit of killer intent.

The two unprepared students seemed to freeze before fleeing to their seats. Iruka sighed again, "Now if that is all of the events for today, I suggest we get started. I'll be calling role now, raise your hand so I know you're here, otherwise you'll be mark absent. Five unexcused absents will lead to a huge deduction in your grades."

Many students groaned at this but he ignored it and took out the roster. "First Aburame Shino...Akimichi Choji…Haruno Sakura…Hyuuga Hinata…Inuzuka Kiba…Nara Shikamaru…Uchiha Sasuke…" several female squeals at this point and the occasional male. Iruka simply raised a brow and marked the boy present. He was about to call out the next name but at the sight of it, he felt his insides grow cold. He gaped in disbelief, finally getting his voice to work; he called "Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Present!" retorted the blonde in an overly sweet tone, clearly intent on annoying the teacher and making others laugh. Well Iruka wasn't laughing and neither were any of his classmates when they caught sight of the severe look on his face. There was an awkward silence between the two; it spread out over the whole class. Yuuki found herself frowning, had her beginning with Iruka been this bad the first time or had something changed? If so then what, would it be harder this time to bring the man she saw as a surrogate father to come around. Oh yeah, this year was going to be loads of fun, she could just see it…

* * *

Well that's it for this chapter, feel free to review after. I'll be sure to reply any questions. It only gets more exciting from here folks so hang tight.


	20. Chapter 20: Blueprints

Ok not exact within the two weeks as promised but damn it I tried! Well here's the next chapter hope you like and if you don't feel free to rant about why not. Enjoy ladies and gents!

* * *

_I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see_  
_Painted faces fill the places I can't reach_  
_You know that I could use somebody_  
_You know that I could use somebody_

_Someone like you and all you know and how you speak_

_"**use someone" by Kings of Leon**_

* * *

Chapter 20: The Blueprints.

Well their first day at the academy had come and gone. Yuuki wished she could say Iruka's reaction to Naruto had gotten better over the day, but it hadn't. If anything Naruto's casual demeanor seemed to spark up more landmines than anything else. She was still planning a way to solve that situation when another decided to pop-up in the form of rabid fangirls. Ino and Sakura were gradually wearing at her nerves. At first, within the first three days of class it had been the usual 'get out of my seat/way' thing. However on the second week they'd decided that wasn't enough. Last week, she'd been made to see how fierce the world of female competition could be. The two had stalked her in the halls only to seize any opportunity to get her in trouble; be it breaking things and blaming it on her, or playing the victim of a false attack. Quite frankly Yuuki was about ready to really give the two something to cry about. Sure, without a doubt she was glad to see them all alive and healthy but apparently memories grow fonder through death. Now faced with the actual living, breathing two girls in their teen puberty stricken days, Yuuki wasn't sure how she felt. Maybe an early visit with Anko would help.

If there was one thing well-known in Konoha; other than Naruto's ungodly love for ramen, it was that Anko Mitarashi hated fangirls with a passion. Yuuki had no doubt that if she could felicitate a meeting between the three, there'd be some interesting results. For now she was stuck trying to get out of the messes they put her in and dealing with the rumors they tried spreading about her. Small stuff compared to stopping a clan's genocide and an upcoming invasion. Putting those petty worries aside, she began to look at her new plan. In an attempt to strengthen Naruto's bonds with Sasuke and the other clan heirs early, she was thinking of making a study group. It would get Naruto to wise up a bit and bring the group together, killing two birds with one stone. It shouldn't be too hard, what with Iruka's rigid teaching plan.

It was just the third week into the school year and already they'd been made to take three tests. The first had been an assessment test that had been smacked onto their desks on day one. To say the new budding students of the undergraduate class were unhappy about this was an understatement. They had been livid. Some had tried to protest but under Iruka's killer intent and severe expression, protests found it hard to be mentioned. The second test had been a beginner quiz; a dummy quiz meant to show them his testing style and how to better study for it in the future. The grades wouldn't be counted, the third quiz however would. They had taken that last week and were just receiving their grades today. Yuuki pretty much knew what to expect; grade wise anyway. She'd made sure to avoid answering every question; in fact, she'd purposely made her score low. Why? for two reasons really. First; if her supposed life story were to hold true, Yuuki Helena Hellsing has hardly had contact with the world of Ninja. It wouldn't do for her to be over familiar with the rules and concepts of Ninja, when she was meant to have been a civilian for most her life. Second; if her grades were as low as Naruto it would give them both an excuse to seek out a study group.

So here she was looking at her returned test paper, staring at a fat red D. She looked to her right, noting Naruto had turned a light blue. His new color, a direct result from the F on his desk no doubt. Sighing, she decided it was high time she proposed the deal to the rest. Looking to her left she noticed Sasuke had received a sparkling A, sticker mark and everything. He'd probably peel off the sticker later or chuck the test away after showing his parents. Poking the raven to get his attention, she could hear the hissing in the background of his fangirls. _Give it a rest would you_, she thought with a sigh.

"Say Sasuke, what did you get?"

"A 100, why?" he said blandly, like it meant nothing at all. Yuuki knew better; there was probably a chibi Sasuke doing cartwheels somewhere deep, deep, deep inside there. Sliding over her paper, she sighed. "I only got a 70…Katsu will kill me, I just know it."

The raven looked more closely at her now. He didn't think it possible for Yuuki to get such a low grade. Out of the few girls he knew, he ranked her up there next to Hinata in smarts. She didn't look like the type to be dumb in book smarts. He'd expected a grade like that from Naruto but not Yuuki. Leaning on his left palm, he frowned. He also didn't think Katsu would take it as hard as she was describing either but what did he know. As far as he knew Katsu may be the book smart parent-type that pressured their kid to get the best grades. "So what are you going to do? Will you show it to him after school today?"

Yuuki pretended to bite her lower lip, looking indecisive. Spending time with a certain Hyuuga heiress could teach you things. "I don't want to but if Naruto shows him his paper, he'll ask for mine too."

Naruto was quick to butt in on this part, "Oh Yuuki-chan, no need to worry. I won't!"

"Probably because you got a lower grade" mumbled Sasuke, getting an offended cry from Naruto but ignoring him.

Yuuki feigned a frown, "But Katsu probably will be expecting the test results though. I sort of told him we would be getting them soon; I didn't think I'd do so badly."

"Why not just not show him this test and study for the next quiz. Iruka said he'd trade the grades for the two quizzes if you get a higher grade on the next one" said Shikamaru. Which was rare, usually he simply slept in class or on the few times when he was conscious he'd only pay attention to Kiba and Chouji. It had only been recently he'd gotten interested in their merry band of four. Something about pissing Ino off and getting away with it got his interest. Yuuki was hoping to keep it and if possible get that of Kiba and Chouji. As of now Kiba and Naruto were beginning to buddy up a bit, finding they had similar interests. This of course irritated Sasuke a bit but Yuuki knew he'd eventually get used to the intrusion. And of course Chouji and the two twin blondes got along on the common holy ground of Ramen and everything food related.

"Yeah about that, I'm not exactly good at studying by myself. Usually Katsu helps me study but since I don't want him knowing about this quiz…"

Well that answered his doubts; Katsu was the book-smart-study-hard kind of parent. Sasuke smirked, "Why not just study with us? I don't know about Naruto but I can definitely help you understand things better."

"I take offense to that!"

"No!" howls from the fangirl peanut gallery.

Ignoring them Yuuki smiled. "You would! Oh, thank you so much Sasuke. Hinata, Chouji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, you guys are all going to join in too right?" she pleaded with them, giving her best shot at the puppy-dog eyes.

Naruto and Shikamaru seemed to sigh as one, causing the others to laugh. "Sure, why not."

"If you don't mind then yes I would like to join. I'll ask my father later" said Hinata.

"Yay!" she exclaimed as the last stragglers gave their affirmatives. Good, that took care of that. Now, she'd have asked Sakura and Ino too; just after Anko was through with them. Humming lightly to herself, she watched the rest of the school day pass with relative boredom. While Iruka was a very passionate teacher who knew his stuff, she also knew it too, making it harder to listen with any form of excitement. She was actually thankful when the final bell rang and class was dismissed. While the rest of the students rushed out of class, she hung back with the group, walking out of the class at a more leisurely pace. For the past two weeks it has been like this; they walk to the village square together and then break off into smaller groups. But lately, Yuuki had been finding her trip back to the cabin to be a solitary thing. Which was strange since Naruto was usually staying over these days. For him to suddenly abstain from visiting the cabin for more than four days was unheard of. It made her wonder if anything was going on with him recently. In her time, during this period nothing exciting had been going on for her. She'd simply been training hard in private and trying to catch up with Sasuke. But maybe she could no longer compare the two.

In her time, she hadn't had a friend to go home with. The choice hadn't been there. Either way, she'd leave it for now but if it turned into something more she'd call him on it. Walking down the forest path, she heard the leaves on the branches rustle, reminding her of her ever present shadows. A normal genin wouldn't be able to sense them, probably not even a Junín. But Yuuki could hear, smell, and see them as though they were walking in broad daylight. She smiled to herself, catching the scent of a familiar spicy scent. So Itachi was part of her shadows today. For some reason she could always tell when he was and it did things to her stomach she couldn't even begin to understand. Maybe she was getting hungry again. She hadn't had blood since the start of the academy after all. That was three weeks ago.

Sighing, she reached over and picked up the spare key from the little golem statue by the door. She'd forgotten her key today in her haste to get to school. "I'm back!" she called.

"Welcome back" answered Seras, lounging about as usual. It seemed without her to entertain and no missions from her great grandfather. Seras made a very lazy vampire. Kyuubi could be filed in the same group; the great demon king was reading that orange book again.

"Got anything new to report from our summons?" asked Yuuki, as she took a seat on Seras' lap.

Kyuubi just hummed to himself, while passing her a slip of paper. Yuuki read over it in silence, her eyes running across the page. "So Madara has made his move. It says here that he's been in contact with some of the Uchiha members more than others. Wonder what that's about…thankfully it doesn't look like he's been associating with any of the other clans. And of course Danzo is up to no good as usual. He seems to already be targeting Shisui's eye." She felt Seras stiffen beneath her, patting her guardian's lap lightly in reassurance she went on. Reaching into her backpack she brought out an extravagant scroll. Tossing it over to Kyuubi, "Read and tell me what you think. Do you think it makes for a good proposal, fit for the Hokage's eyes?"

He raises a brow to her question but switched his attention over to the scroll anyway. It only seemed to take him a second and he was done reading. Yuuki didn't know how he did it. She could read fast, probably one of the faster readers Konoha would have in the years to come but Kyuubi took it to a different level. It's like he absorbs the information. Afterward he nodded his head, **"Yeah I think it should pass, glad to see all my lectures in politics and economics are paying off. With this you should be able to get in your proposal for a clan without those batty council members biting at your heels. So when are you going to give it to the Third?"**

Yuuki pondered on it for a bit. Everyone was telling her it was best to get her clan started earlier. And to be honest she was beginning to think the same too. There were a lot of privileges that came with being a clan that civilians just didn't get. "Probably later today I guess."

"**So you'll be going back into the village later today, good. I need you to buy me some things anyway. I'll go get dinner started, why don't you go freshen up and take a nap. I'll call you when the food's done**" said Kyuubi, moving towards the kitchen.

"Sure, I could use a shower. Let it be noted that Konoha has got to be one of the hottest villages ever!" pulling at her inner red tank-top, Yuuki headed for her room and hopefully a nice bath. She could practically feel her clothes cling to her lithe frame. Tossing off her clothes, she walked over to the bath room and filled the tub. She'd taken to bathing Seras-style for now, finding it to be very much enjoyable. Using fresh rose petals, supplied from Kyuubi's garden for fragrance and bit of the scented oils, she got into the bath. Soaking in it, she felt herself begin to relax. Twenty rejuvenating minutes later she finally forced herself out of the bathtub, rinsing off and grabbing a towel.

On her bed, Seras had already placed a new outfit for her to wear. Smiling at the kind gesture, Yuuki changed into the simple floral blouse and checkered skirt. Suddenly feeling a bit sleepy at the sight of her inviting bed, she laid down and closed her eyes for awhile. Kyuubi hadn't called for her anyway; he wouldn't mind her taking a little nap.

_She found herself in a familiar landscape, on a battlefield. But this wasn't just any battlefield. No, this was the final resting place for herself and Sasuke; who'd been possessed partially by Madara. Despite all the dead bodies that littered their feet, they looked to each other as though they were the only ones in the world. Sasuke was using his cursed seal again. Naruto hated the sight of it; it had been because of his revulsion of the seal that he'd sought to become a seal master. He hoped to one day remove the vile thing from Sasuke's neck. At least then Sasuke would have no more excuses for his actions. He wouldn't be a puppet to Orochimaru's rage, nor Madara's cunning. Any wrong doing he committed would be taken down as his doing and his alone. _

_Circling each other, they watched the other's face. What they were searching for Naruto didn't know but what he saw in Sasuke he knew he didn't like. His former best friend had completely turned into something else, his eyes were so hallow now; as though nothing in the world could ever fill the hole in him. He'd just go on killing and there'd be nothing big enough to quench his bottomless rage. Naruto gritted his teeth, wishing it had never come to this but knowing he would end it now. One of them would die today. As much as he wished to keep his promise to Itachi, he doubted it was possible anymore. Sasuke was beyond saving and even if it was possible, he'd done the one thing a friend should never do. He'd been part of what killed Hinata. Naruto just couldn't forgive him for that and let him walk away with a slap on the wrist. _

_Charging at each other they growled, steel clashing against steel as their weapons locked. Naruto tried to kick out within their close quarters but Sasuke easily stepped back and out of reach. His sharingans spinning wildly as they transformed into their final level. Naruto knew better than to look into his eyes now. Itachi's power gave him protection from Sasuke's eyes but Naruto wasn't about to experiment and see how far it went. If he was trapped in a geijutsu or worse one of the sharingan's abilities, he was sure to be at a disadvantage. Relying on his other senses, he pushed back onto Sasuke hard and formed a rasengan in his left hand. Sasuke probably expected him to try to ram it into him at full force but Naruto was never one to be predictable. He jumped back and took aim, in rapid succession; rasengans shot out to meet Sasuke with a deadly accuracy. He could see the shock in his friend's eyes. _

_Not many knew just how far he'd perfected the skill. But it wasn't enough to beat Sasuke. Sure, it had startled him off his game but he'd dodged the balls of chakra with practice easy. That's fine; Naruto still had more things in his bag of tricks. He hadn't spent the past year and a half slacking. Crouching a bit, he took up a stance with his katana, surging up to slash at the wind. The blades of wind raced to their target, grazing Sasuke but not doing sufficient damage. _

"_Is that the best you can do?" taunted Sasuke, far too overconfident for Naruto's liking. The blonde ignored him in favor of rushing at him. Ninjutsu that required seals would put him at a disadvantage under Sasuke's watchful eyes. However, close quarter combat could be an even thing. His speed was definitely higher than Sasuke, thanks to his merge with Kyuubi. Swinging his sword down with fluid ease, he was able to cut Sasuke on the shoulder. But that had been a trap, Sasuke had used the momentum to seize his face and force him to look him in the eye. Naruto blanched. _

"_Since you want to side with my brother like you know him and what the hell he wants. I'll give you the same gift he gave me at the young age of 11" he hissed._

_Naruto felt his vision resist at first but then he felt another power over powering his brain. He watched his vision swim and change into the familiar scene of Konohagakuri, minutes before the war. He watched as it began and escalated with the breach of Konoha's main gates. Madara's forces poured in like a swarm of wraiths, sucking the lives out of the citizens and shinobi alike. Naruto watched as Sasuke came in the lead of the attackers, burning his birthplace to the ground as though it were garbage. His face showed no remorse, only contempt. Naruto was forced to watch as his friends were cut down one by one, watched as their struggles were silenced; the horror creeping into his veins and turning them cold. _

"_No…no! I don't want to see this!" he heard himself scream, his voice raw from emotion. Sasuke's sadistic laughter rang in the background but the pictures continued for some time more. Finally the hell was over but Naruto was completely numb now. Sasuke pushed him back like a ragdoll and he let him, the space was needed. For the next time their eyes met Naruto's usually sparkling blue was a cold-blooded red, as sharp as a blade. He bared his fangs and charged again. This time it was different…this time there was no mercy to the onslaught he unleashed. _

Yuuki woke up gasping and clutching the bed sheets for dear life. That had been a very bad memory for her. The day she had finally killed Sasuke had left her hallow, with only the purpose of killing Madara and ending he vicious cycle. Just remembering left her feeling sick and ready to hurl. Rolling to lay onto her back, she took in several deep breaths and allowed her heart to settle.

_**You calm now Kit?**_

_Yes…I didn't want to see that Kyuubi. That was the one memory I was hoping to forget._

_**I know…I'm sorry. I can turn back the hands of time but I can't take away the memories you already hold. Do you think you're still up for dinner?**_

_I might as well, it's not like I want to go back to sleep again. Besides I still have to give the scroll to Jiji._

_**Well then get your butt down here, foods done…**_

Yuuki felt the great demon recede to his part of her mind, fading away like soft background music. Shaking of the cobweb of memories she made her way to the kitchen, never noticing a set of sharigans that watched her with worry. Itachi had watched her seemingly taking a peaceful nap, only to watch as it turned into a nightmare. He watched her trash around on the bed, seemingly fighting an unknown enemy. Again he felt something painfully squeeze his heart as he wondered just what could she have been dreaming? What could be torturing her so?

Yuuki ate her part of the meal at a sedated pace, not really feeling it but not wanting to insult Kyuubi either. She'd said she was up for dinner so she'd damn well finish her food. It wasn't an everyday thing to have the great Kyuubi no Kitsune cooking for you. If she insulted his efforts, he may just stop cooking for them altogether. While she knew she could cook if she felt like it, she wasn't too sure about Seras. The vampire had lived too long on blood, being unable to really taste human food now. Everything tasted about the same to her, not exactly what you wanted from the person making your meal. You might just get food poisoning that way.

"Thanks for the meal" she whispered, taking away the plates to wash them. Upon her return she saw her two guardians, their worried gaze directed solely at her. She felt bad worrying them like that. Putting on a smile, she fetched the proposal scroll. "I'll be heading over to the Hokage's tower now!"

Rushing out the door before anyone could question her, she kept running. For some reason it felt like she could outrun her problems this way, letting the warm wind carry them far away. She rushed ahead, not caring of the Anbu tailing her, or stopping to catching her breath. She ran all the way to the gate entrance, feeling the good burn in her lungs. She'd rather have the burn than the bitter taste from earlier. Having her papers checked quickly, she entered the inner village. As she walked through the crowd, she felt relieved to see people so lively; talking, gossiping, fighting and playing. Deciding to see the one person she'd rather spare that horrid memory first, she made a detour to Naruto's apartment.

Walking up the beaten, old wooden steps, she made her way to his floor. Knocking on his door, she expected him to leap out at her. She hadn't expected the hesitant pace in which he answered the door. For a minute she wondered if they'd shared the same dream. Naruto's usually vibrant face seemed withdrawn; his vivid blue eyes a paler shade. Yuuki didn't say anything at first; she just let him invite her in. He was thinking of a way to turn this around no doubt. Naruto hated people seeing him in a weakened state. People always wanted him bright and sunny so that's what he did, no matter how hard it got to be some times. Yuuki knew for a fact no one liked smiling twenty-four seven. Taking a seat on his new couch, she waited and hoped he'd tell her what happened. If he chose not to she'd respect his choice and find out on her own.

"Hey Yuuki-chan!" his voice was too high, "would you like some tea?"

"Yeah sure" she feigned ignorance. It would be easier on him that way. Watching him leave to the kitchen area of the small apartment, she looked around for clues to his mood change. What could have happened in the short time she'd left him at the village square? Spotting something odd by the table edge, she quietly walked over, making her steps as casual as possible not to alert him to her intentions. Kneeling, she pulled back the shoe box that had been hastily hidden by the center table's legs. She couldn't smother her gasp fast enough though. With his keen hearing Naruto was by her side soon enough, looking at the same thing she was. In the shoe box was a badly wounded fox kit. Yuuki looked around, searching for anything else out of the ordinary. She spotted another thing on the center table itself; a letter. With big ugly red letters, someone had written a threat for Naruto to stay away from Sasuke and all the other 'normal kids'. Yuuki felt her hands clench around the letter, her teeth grinding.

"It's nothing serious. It's the usual, it's just since you guys came they hadn't come as often so I was a bit shocked this time. Don't worry about it, I won't let down my guard next time" he said, trying to sound perky but Yuuki knew better.

Shaking her head, she found her voice shaking with anger. "No, Naruto. It's not **ok**. I don't know what makes the villagers of Konoha think they can get away with treating you so badly but this has got to stop. It isn't right for an entire village to be picking on a kid, that's just weird. There won't be a next time. I'll see to it that there isn't."

Naruto looked at her, worried for different reasons now. He'd hate for Yuuki and the others to be blacklisted because of him. "Yuuki-chan don't worry about it. It's usually not this bad, this was just an extreme ok."

Yuuki shook her head, "You're not talking me out of this Naruto. Since you're not letting yourself get pissed, I'll be pissed enough for the both of us. For now though, lets take care of this little one. The poor thing."

Reaching in, she gently picked up the fox kit, careful of its wounds. Laying it on her lap, not caring that its blood would stain her checkered skirt, she began to heal it. Naruto watched her hands glow a soft green, feeling the warmth from the glow. He watched in amazement as the fox kit's wounds, slowly began to mend together. It whined and whimpered, but Yuuki used her other hand to pet it and ease its concerns as she continued.

"Yuuki…"

"hm…"

"Thanks."

She smiled, "No prob partner, we're in this together got it. We'll figure out something. Say could you take care of this little guy for tonight. I don't want to be moving him too much right now."

Naruto looked down at the little baby fox. To be honest it was rare to see foxes in Konoha for some reason. It was like everyone detested the creatures. They could only be seen during the Kyuubi festival and that was only to re-tell how the demon fox had been defeated by the Fourth. Naruto kind of guessed it was bad business keeping a fox in konoha but precisely because of that he was more inclined to keep the kit. He'd never been one to follow Konoha's rules, why start now. The kit had been hurt somehow because of him. This was the least he could do for the little guy.

"Sure thing Yuuki. I'll keep him, not just tonight but from now on. I wonder if he already has a name?" pondered Naruto.

Yuuki chuckled, "He probably does. Since he can't tell us right now, I don't think he'd mind you giving him a nickname."

Naruto nodded, thinking hard on a name. He took a close look at the little fox; his fur was a deep burgundy brown, with almost a hint of red despite the blood. "Aka?"

She raised a brow to this, "short for akaii?"

"hm!" he nodded, pleased with himself.

She smiled, "I'm sure he'll be glad for the name Naruto. I was on my way someway before I came to visit you. I must be going now but I'll come back as soon as I get back. I'll sleep over here today kay."

Naruto scratched his head a little, "You sure that's ok by Katsu and Seras?"

She gave him the thumbs up, "No problem. Trust me, I'll be back."

Making a make-shift bed for the fox kit, she said her final good-byes and left. On the road she stopped, thinking on her options. She could still do as she'd originally intended and go talk to Sarutobi about the proposal for her own clan but with the turn of events. For some reason she felt like the proposal needed to be looked at again. Finally deciding, she rushed back out of the village and to the cabin. She'd tell Kyuubi of what happened and ask he's option. If he was thinking what she was thinking, the proposal would be getting some major changes. This time though she did stop for little breathers once in a while. She'd been careless to run so long earlier without taking stops. As far as the rest of konoha was concerned, she was still recovering from her weak state. Upon reaching the cabin, she opened the door and stepped in, shutting it firmly behind her. This caught the attention of the other two occupants in the living room with keen hearing.

"**Oh, you're back kit. That's quick, how'd it go? What's the verdict?"** came Kyuubi's boisterous voice.

Yuuki shook her head, "I didn't take it yet."

He looked her more closely, his red eyes narrowed. "**What's the holdup kit?"**

She sighed as she joined them in the living room, taking a seat by Seras. "Seras can we do the mind link thing now?"

The blonde vampire seemed to think on it for a bit and then Yuuki felt a sharp sting to her temple. She hissed and Seras apologized. "I guess that's a yes. Then I'd like you guys to look over this memory for me."

The three shared blank expressions as they tussled through her recent memories. Seras was the first to comment. "That's horrible."

"**I doubt that will be the last of it either. I guess this is the backlash of getting Naruto so close to the clan heirs this early in the game**" remarked Kyuubi, his eyes hooded; anger towards those who hurt his kits, no doubt. Yuuki reached out, taking his hand to stay his anger. It wouldn't do if he alerts the Anbu outside with his killer intent. "I was thinking of adjusting a few things in the proposal…"

Interest came to his eyes now, a distraction. **"Like what exactly, I take it Naruto is somehow related to this."**

She nodded, "I'm thinking of officially putting him under our clan protection as a distant relative. Should it come down to blood tests, with Integra and Alucard's blood in me, it should pass."

"**No, I suggest you don't do that**" said Kyuubi, his voice sharper than he'd intended.

Yuuki frowned, "Why not?"

He shook his head, his eyes softening a bit. "**Because that would change too much too soon. Naruto would be unable to fully take his inheritance if you did that. Not to mention it's too much of a suspicious move. The other clans would be on us in an instant.**"

Yuuki growled in frustration, "Then what should I do! You know as well as I do there is a prohibition against anyone of Shinobi relations adopting him. You've proven to know a thing or two about jutsu and I just entered the academy, we're in too deep to be considered civilians. If we can't adopt him, the only other way to gain some say so is if he is of our blood relations!"

Kyuubi sighed, "**Ok, say you reveal his link to you. Then what? The clans and Danzo would watch you more closely, Naruto's perceptions would change. To put it short kit, it would be the end of your new clan before it even started."**

Yuuki leaned onto him, her small hands clenched on his shirt. "Then what do I do Kyuubi? It's hard…harder than I thought to watch him go through this…"

Gently petting her hair, he said **"I Know it hurts kit…I know but you wouldn't be you without the pain right. You've got to let him get through this himself. You can't shield him in cotton and expect him to grow strong."**

"But it hurts…" she whispered.

"Hum...why not just take him on as an apprentice?" asked Seras. She leaned back a bit when the two rounded on her so quickly, eyes gleaming. "…what?"

Yuuki grinned, "That's brilliant. Kyuubi has already proven to know a thing or two about jutsu so no one would question his skills. And if they do we could just show off a bit. He has no name so the other clans wouldn't complain about Naruto being his apprentice. And we could get Danzo of our scent with the ploy of me being female and therefore unable to take on Kyuubi's legacy! Everyone knows how lowly he thinks of kounichis. We'd have a say on what goes on with Naruto without messing too much with the timeline. It's brilliant."

"Uh-huh" said Seras, hesitant at the sudden change in her mistress. It was like watching a criminal master mind at work as she began to work out the kinks in the plan with kyuubi. Thirty minutes later they'd scrapped the old proposal and conclude the new one.

Grinning in satisfaction, Yuuki held in her hands their new proposal. "This should do it. Well, I'll be going over to hand this in to the third then!"

Before she could rush out the door again Kyuubi grabbed hold of her collar.

"I'm kinder in a rush here, what's the holdup?"

He glared down at her, "**what's the holdup up you say. How about my list of things I need you to buy for me that you left without the first time!**"

Yuuki squeaked, "I'm sorry!"

He gave her an evil grin, "**Not as sorry as you're going to be during training tomorrow night. Here, have a nice day**" he said giving her the list with a pleasant smile, though she knew what he was planning was anything but the word. Sighing, she rushed back to the gates, getting odd looks from the guards as they waved her through for the third time today. Grinning sheepishly, she made her way to the Tower, filing out the papers at the receptionist's desk, before taking a seat and waited. Thankfully due to the time she didn't have to wait too long. When her turn came she walked up the flight of stairs to the Hokage's office and knocked.

"Come in" called Sarutobi, she could tell he was as eager to see her as she was. That's good. Stepping in and giving him the formal bow, she took the seat he kindly offered.

"So what may I do for you today Yuuki-chan" he said, an indulgent smile of a grandfather playing on his lips. Yuuki felt her heart squeeze and her words faultier for a minute. Taking a deep breath, she began her request. "Hokage-sama. I would like to ask permission to start a clan of my own."

"…"

"…"

"Yuuki-chan could you please repeat your request?"

"I would like your permission to start up the Hellsing clan" she said, crossing her legs as she gave him time to soak it in. A mischievous smile on her lips.

* * *

Tada! And now the vampires come muahahaha!


	21. Chapter 21:Negotiations

__Um, I guess I just wanted to say something about the recent news of the change of rating on this site. Well I can understand the owner's concerns of the M rated stories getting out of hand, however I think they should leave that to us readers and writers. Should you begin to read a story and think its too much, review to the author your concerns politely and stop reading it. I don't think it would be a good idea to start deleting stories. For one it wastes all that author's time and efforts, something I wouldn't take lightly and would mostly likely stop writing because of. So I ask that the owners take this in consideration before taking down stories. Can you honestly take down someone's hard work and effort just because a few people can't stomach it, despite being prepared by the warnings.

* * *

_I remembered black skies, the lightning all around me  
I remembered each flash as time began to blur  
Like a startling sign that fate had finally found me  
And your voice was all I heard that I get what I deserve  
So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean  
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes  
Give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between  
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies across this new divide_

"_**new divide" by Linkin Park**_

* * *

**Chapter 21: Negotiations**

"I said I would like to ask your permission to create a new shinobi Clan of my own. The Hellsing Clan to be exact" said Yuuki, her blue eyes twinkling with a mischievous light. She could see the wheels turning in Sarutobi's head, no doubt he was thinking of many things; the shock, the suspicion and the undiluted curiosity building. It was amusing to see him twitch and stew as he tried to hide all these things from her. To be honest most of her gamble counted on the latter of the lot. If he remains to this day the acclaimed 'Professor' his curiosity would get the better of him and he'd allow her to talk long enough to talk him into the idea. All she had to do was play the part and wait, it wouldn't take long.

"Yuuki-chan, I must say you got me there. I'm quite shocked, not to say it's anything bad…just this is a very unusual request. Could I be allowed to know the reason behind this sudden turn of events?"

Ah, first comes the skepticism. "No need to be so formal Hokage-sama, I'm several times younger than you and I'd like to think of you as a grandfather figure if you don't mind".

"Not at all"

"Good, now onto your question. No, this is not a 'sudden' turn of events. I've actually been thinking of this quite seriously for several months now".

"Even before you came to Konoha?" he asked, a brow rose to match his disbelief.

She nodded, "Yup, though not a shinobi Clan. The Hellsings have always been a well known group of individuals and I; its recent heiress. I simply wish to add a bit more weight to the name if you get what I mean".

She watched his wary brown eyes narrow and his face become more pointed, his suspicion raising no doubt. Perhaps it was due to her change of demeanor, no longer was she speaking like a child but as a business partner would to another. Her new attitude was only meant to emphasis the fact of her status as heiress but to him it must have been a tad bit alarming. Her sudden change of status in his eyes probably put the fairy tales to shame; from an unknown wounded civilian, to an academy undergraduate and now an heiress. Too far to be believed but she'd make him believe it.

With a sigh, he decided it best to humor her a bit more. No matter how well breed, a child was still a child, bound to childish logics that would soon give her away. "And yet I have heard nothing of the Hellsings before you and your guardians moved to town. Not on the list of Suna's clans, nor any of the leading trade groups in the area. What do you make of that Yuuki-chan?"

His silent accusations were received with a winning smile that set him on edge. "Well that's because not too long ago I was in diapers. I don't know much about things but I do know it would be rather tragic to place a business under the hands of a green horned baby. I don't know whether you've heard it from the others but I didn't grow up with my parents' involvement in my life. The moment I was born I was put under Katsu's tutelage, being trained on the future path to being the group head. During which my grandparents had all operations shut down for the time being. We are a very old group, with more than enough money to allow a slight suspense in our dealings. Which is why, right now my guardians and I are currently living off of my inherited wealth".

To this Sarutobi chuckled, "And what's so wrong about that? Why not wait till you've fully grown before re-opening the family business? I'm sure you're still in training, not to mention you just joined the academy here in Konoha. Wouldn't it be best to wait till after you've graduated? You'd only be adding a heap of trouble to yourself this way".

She sighed, running her fingers through her hair as though exasperated by the turn of the conversation. "Trust me Hokage-sama, no one knows this better than I. But what I also know is that if one disconnects with their clientele for too long they tend to go seeking help elsewhere. Trust me when I say we do not want my type of clientele seeking help from other inexperienced firms. Katsu and Seras can take care of most of the actual work but I for now have to be the acting head providing the negotiations. And another thing Hokage-sama, I don't believe in an inherited fortune. I don't intend to be one of those girls who seats pretty and never knows how to get her hands dirty with a bit of work".

"I see…" murmured Sarutobi, he could certainly see what Itachi was so attracted to in her. She did have a special personality, one rare to find in girls her age.

"If you are worried of my attendance and performance in the academy, don't. As part of our deal if you approve of my clan I will be the most exemplary student the Academy has ever seen since Itachi-kun".

To this the Third frowned, could he possibly be looking at another Itachi in the making. He'd never voiced his concerns in fear of overstepping his bounds but he'd never been in support of what happened to Itachi. The boy had been forced to grow up far too young, with too little experience in anything before Shinobi. If he could turn back the hands of time and change certain things of his upbringing Sarutobi would. However time is a nonnegotiable thing, all he could do now is stop others from following that same path. Could it be possible that Yuuki Hellsing was about to be the second child solider Konoha creates. He hoped not.

"Yuuki you need not worry about being the perfect student, no one expects that from you".

"Yes, I know this Hokage-sama but I also want to give you something for assurance. I know deals aren't made on just words, there is also collateral to be considered" she whispered.

Sarutobi leaned forward, looking into her sky-blue eyes to assure her his words were true from this point on. "And I appreciate the effort it must take child but that is not necessary. I only need to know why you want this so much and your true intentions are. I cannot change Konoha's legislation without just cause; that would be an abuse of my power. Doing what you ask would shake the balance of the current Clans, the civilians and even the shinobi. Give me one good reason to do this".

"But I need this Hokage-sama"

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Now I know you may be feeling misplaced and left out with all your other friends being Clan Heirs and such but—"

Before he could finish the thought she cut him off, "I'm not asking this out of social peer pressure or any internal insecurities of being the odd man out if that's what you're implying. To be honest I don't mind being the odd ball in a group, it happens more often than you'd expect. However if that's your angle, I would like to remind you that my first friend and loyalties rest with Naruto; who has no clan".

_Or so you think_, thought Sarutobi as he leaned back in his chair, feeling the good leather beneath him. He could just feel the headache building in his skull, a light pounding now but soon to turn vicious. He was getting too old for this; really Minato had left him a lot to deal with.

Yuuki watched him think over her words, watched his growing agitation rise. It made her feel bad to be laying this out on him now but she'd rather have this done now than have to deal with it later. Say like when Orochimaru came into the picture later, or Akatsuki for that matter; if he lived that long this time around. She wouldn't put it past faith to try to foil her attempts to save his life. Besides, it's best he started looking at her like an adult. If her proposal was approved it wouldn't be Katsu or Seras going to the Clan meetings but her; Yuuki Hellsing, the powerless little girl child against men and women with years of experience and authority. If she wanted her voice to be heard, even a little, she had to make it count now.

"Hokage-sama I'll give you the reason you need. My business that I'd be starting would be of great benefits to Konoha's purse, not to mention your security".

"And what exactly would this 'business' entail?" his keen eyes watching her posture. A lesser man would fidget and breakdown but not her, not when everything depended on this. But it was good to know she'd gotten his attention. Gently, she placed the extravagant scroll on his desk, the gold adornments clicking against the wooden desk. "It's all explained in this scroll Hokage-sama".

He nodded, reluctantly breaking eye contact to unroll the scroll and read its contents. She watched as his eyebrows rose with each paragraph he most likely read. Being a fast reader he was done in minutes, setting the scroll aside to look to her in wonder and curiosity. Ah! There it was; the curiosity she'd been counting on.

"I take it Katsu and Seras helped you write this proposal?"

"Naturally" she conceded, "I take it you're interested now?"

Sarutobi shook his head; she was playing with him now. There was no way he wouldn't be interested, it took no imagination to realize they'd drafted this proposal with him in mind; putting in only key points that would catch his interests. Which made him come to wonder just how much they knew about him? and if so, from whom? Still he wasn't going to give her an easy time, not when what she was requesting would likely give him more paperwork to sign and fill. No, if he was to be tortured later, he'd best let her feel his pain a little now.

"Still you must understand that even should this pass the other council members and my approval, your age would act against you. If you insist, I'll set that aside for now. Now getting down to this business you're trying to create. I'm not sure you would be making the right choice establishing this in a shinobi village. The job requests; bodyguard duties, terminations and investigations seem too similar to that of a Shinobi's. I don't think I have to tell you that you'd be losing badly should you try to go up against a Shinobi village for its jobs. This would be a competition you wouldn't want to partake in, especially with the little amount of clan members you have; no matter how efficient they may be".

Yuuki nodded and clapped her hands, catching him off balance. "Absolutely! And that's why we don't want to start a battle. Trust me when I say we're a bit on the battle wary side of things. No, what we're offering is a tad bit different thanks to our clients".

Sarutobi raised a brow to this, "How so?"

Yuuki chuckled, scratching her head as a nervous gesture. Really how did one go about explaining what it meant to be a Hellsing. You couldn't go, 'oh we just go about killing the undead, sending them to their bloody coffins'. Once again that would send warning bells and soon after a short trip to Saint Morgan or some other mental clinic. So how could she put this without coming off as crazy and deranged? Easy, she'd just have to fib a little more. "Um, well you see…the Hellsings come from a very, very long line of exorcists. The terminations, investigations and bodyguard duties you see listed there are not meant for humans but spirits. Our clients are people dealing with troubled spirits. We don't actually kill people unless the situation calls for it and then in that case it can't be helped. Last I checked Shinobi have nothing to do with spirits, so we're in the clear right?"

Again with the silence, there were just some things you say, hear it and then go 'what the hell am I saying'. This definitely counted as one of those times. Of course it didn't help that Sarutobi was looking at her with those pitying eyes. You know the ones you'd give someone who said they were seeing ghosts lately; the eyes of a superior nonbeliever. "Yuuki dear, you do know that in this day and age such a business would be a hard one to keep afloat don't you? Most people don't believe in evil spirits anymore than I do and even if they did, they'd be more likely to call a priest or a monk not an unknown group of vigilantes".

_Grin and bear it, grin and bear it…_ she kept telling herself. Having Sarutobi; the man she looked up to as a grandfather toss her idea in her face as blatant fancy hurt like a bitch. Especially since had she not died and become a spirit secured in an empty vessel, or seen her vampric ancestry a few months ago she wouldn't have believed it herself. But facts were facts now. She did know they existed and that she was now barely hanging onto the fence called humanity. The sooner she got this proposal cleared the closer she got to actually hunting down these bogy monsters.

"Sure, I know how it sounds but think of it this way. There has to be a logical reason for why my clan has lasted as long as it has. In all honesty Hokage-sama the risks lie with my side of things and not yours. Should this business fail I would have only lost a bit of time and a chunk of money from my huge inheritance. You would still be getting your annual membership funds and whatnot. I'm only asking your permission to give this a go. Better yet, it's because my business is so odd; the other clans would have no problem accepting us into the fold, no?"

Sarutobi cradled his head, nope, that headache wasn't going to wait for anyone. Trying to speaking through his pain, he began to explain. "Ok, putting aside the eccentricity of your potential business. Lets assume we approved, now what of these benefits you were speaking about earlier? You do know that one of the conditions for being a Clan in Konoha is based on how beneficial you are to the village. It's the reason even clans without doujutsus are on the council. Merchants bring trade, Shinobi clans bring attention and prestige to the village through their skills and success in the field, and landowners give beneficial grounds to build facilities. Can you say the Hellsing clan can bring any of this to the table?"

Yuuki smiled, actually smiled for this. She'd been expecting this question for a long time now. "Actually Hokage-sama, I'd like you to remember my words. I said the Hellsing Clan are a long line did I not?"

"And?"

"I never said we all originated from Suna or stayed in Suna. I believe if you look back in your oldest history files and books you'd find at least a few sentences of my ancestors before they were lost to history" she said with confidence.

Sarutobi felt his throat go dry as he began to think on it, the old feeling he had before about the Hellsing clan sounding familiar coming back to him. Could what she was saying be true, if so how far back did these mysterious stranger go?

"We can give you all the land, attention and financial benefits you desire and more should you ask for it. I don't mean to sound forward but it'd be foolish to turn down what I'm offering here Hokage-sama over something as flimsy as spiritual preferences" she continued "Seriously, what reasons do you have not to give this an innocent try?"

Sarutobi found himself sighing again, he was doing that too much these days. "Actually Yuuki dear there are several reasons holding me back from approving this. Despite what you may say about your ancestry ties to Konoha, that doesn't count for now. At the moment you are new to Konoha and the citizens barely know you, should it be taken to a public vote you wouldn't win. Then there's your age and while I can tell you're well trained with a level head on your shoulders, people won't see it that way. All they'll see is a child trying to fill out some pretty big shoes. I would suggest you speak to your guardians about this. Maybe one of them can sub for you until you are of age. And another thing what's this about Naruto Uzumaki being taken on as Katsu's pupil. You do know this move will turn many heads right?"

_Especially that of an antsy war-hock, yeah I know,_ she thought. But seriously did he have to go and list so many problems to this. "Well I guess we can tackle this one by one. First, I was the one to make the decision that I would be the one representing the Head of our clan; not Katsu and not Seras. So don't think lightly of them, they're just following the orders of their head. Second, I know we aren't very well-known but isn't that also a good thing. I have the time to get to know the village and its citizens without any bias or prejudice. There's no bad history tying me down. Finally as far as Naruto is concerned I've been meaning to ask you. Hokage-sama, have you taken to note how Naruto had been living before we came into the picture?"

The third looked pained that she brought this up. To be honest she'd always wondered if the old man had known her full situation as a child and simply choose not to do anything about it. It eased her heart a little to see how much it pained Sarutobi to think about her situation. He honestly cared and it hurt him to see her like that. Even if he couldn't have done anything, this meant more to her. "Yes, Yuuki-chan I am well aware of how it was before you and your clan. I've been meaning to deeply thank you for your intervention. It was very much needed".

She smiled, the edges a bit twisted as she thought of what she was about to do next. "Then if you're so thankful please allow us to continue to take care of him under our banner. As it is now we are at a limit of the things we can do for him. You know of what I'm saying don't you?"

Sarutobi wiped his hand over his face, his heart feeling the shame of having left Naruto that way for years. He knew more than anyone that if Yuuki knew what Naruto was she'd want to save him the most. He didn't know how long or how close she'd lived to the capital of Suna, but if she'd ever laid eyes on Gaara. She'd understand the reason why Naruto needed a friend right now. Perhaps this was all he could do for Naruto, perhaps this was the better chance he'd been waiting for. Finally he found himself chuckling, "And the official story is?"

She grinned, "As I said the Hellsings are a very old traditional clan and that being so, our primary arts are to be taught to the males of the family. Since I'm the last heir and happen to be a female I cannot learn them. The best we could think of was to pass them down to an outsider till I've grown and had a baby boy of my own. Naruto; being the first friend I made since I came to Konoha fits the bill perfectly".

Sarutobi nodded, sounded logical enough. His eyes narrowed again as he looked over the little girl in front of him. He highly doubted she'd have as much trouble with the council as he claimed. Look how well she was playing him now! Perhaps he'd been too fast in assuming it was only her guardians to watch out for. Yuuki had a fire in her too, perhaps not as big as her guardians but that didn't make it any less dangerous. He'd have to watch out for her that was for sure.

"As for the matters of your lack of knowledge in our Clan history I can provide you accounts and journals from my ancestry. Of course these are only to be seen by you and specific members of the council on a need to know bases. I'm sure you can understand it when I ask that my clan be allowed to have its one or two secrets". Her blue eyes pinned his brown, trying to impose her point. She'd dangle a tastier carrot for him but she wouldn't be giving him the whole pack. Nonchalantly she threw her hair back, "I'll even throw in a mock battle for Seras and Katsu, that you may test their skills to feel more assured of our standing".

A brow rose to this, "And what about you Yuuki-chan, no mock battle for you?"

Her pose shifted a little and her eyes fixed on him, trying to gauge what he was playing at, a small frown on her lips. "With all due respect Hokage-sama we both know I just started the academy a few weeks ago and not too long before that I was handicap in a wheelchair. I don't see how I could possibly win any mock fights".

The leather of his chair groaned as he got out of it, walking over to the left file cabinet to retrieve something from the top drawer. He let it drop to the desk, the contents spilling out of the file. He watched her as she took stock of the images and papers in front of her, his face hidden by the shadows as he gauged her reactions. There was the normal shock of being monitored, the curiosity to find out what had been seen and then her emotions ran dry. It was like he could pick nothing else from her.

Yuuki stared at the picture in front of her, occasionally picking up a few for a closer look. She'd been expecting them yes, but she'd never expected Sarutobi to be so reckless as to share his findings with her. She was the subject of his investigation after all. He must truly be sure he could get a confession out of her to be going this far. Briefly she scanned the pictures in her hands, stopping at the very last one. She held it aside, looking more closely at it. So this was the base of his confidence.

This one was recent, very recent in fact. It was a picture of her healing the battered fox at Naruto's apartment a few minutes prior to this meeting. So that was his angle…well that proved it, 'no good deed went unpunished'. But as far as she was concerned she wasn't willing to give up the race just yet. "Why Hokage-sama, I never pictured you as the creepy sort to be taking pictures of little kids".

He let out a gruff noise from his throat in protest; she'd hit a nerve no doubt. No one liked to be called a pedophile, no one perhaps except Orochimaru. "Don't play with fire Yuuki, if you're as smart as you claim to be then you know exactly why I had these pictures taken. Now what I'd like to ask you is why I was given a report a few minutes ago that you'd been using a healing jutsu to heal that wounded fox? Last I checked that's a higher level jutsu not easy to come by as an undergraduate student. Not to mention to succeed, you'd have had to practice it often".

She nodded her head in a manner that said she was clearly not taking his accusations seriously. For some her attitude would have irritated them towards something foolish but Sarutobi was ever the patient professor.

"To answer your question Hokage-sama; yes, I did heal that wounded fox. It would have been cruel of me not to. However! I did not say I did it with Chakra. Quite frankly I don't even know how to mold chakra yet, let alone use it. No what I used was what everyone has in their body, untrained and always present to help our actions. I believe you have one really famous Junín known for using it quite often with his martial arts".

"Chi then…" he grounded out, making the obvious connection to Gai.

"Correct. As an heiress, I'm never safe and so my guardian Katsu took it upon himself to teach me how to take care of myself should anything happen. I even know the basic moves for self-defense if push comes to shove. But nothing shinobi worthy I'm afraid" she finished with a smile.

Sarutobi was beginning to see alternative meanings to that smile of hers. He watched her stretch out her hand and pull forth pure green chi from her body. Frustrated for the wasted effort, defeated by his pounding headache, he decided to call it quits for tonight. She'd honestly beaten him in this play of words and minds. He'd have to do better next round but for now there was really nothing he could pin her to. There was nothing stating that a civilian could not learn to hone their own chi. He knew of certain florists that did it to help with their craft.

"Now Hokage-sama, the real question I would like to ask you is how long you've had these scouts watching me?" she feigned the natural rage that came with the invasion of one's own privacy.

Sarutobi sighed and sat back down, seeming to sag a bit. "You must understand as head of a Clan yourself; the little unknown facts can be the most crippling. As the Hokage, I have a duty to my citizens. I can't let unknown factors go unsupervised about the city. I apologize for your invasion of privacy but I won't apologize for my actions. They were necessary in my opinion. I'm not saying its right…just necessary".

Yuuki let it take a minute and then nodded her head in acceptance. "Well then I hope you and the rest of Konoha will soon come to believe us when we say me and mine that wish you no harm. We'd like to stay here in peace and build a base for ourselves. Is it ok for me to assume you 'll take our proposal into consideration Hokage-sama?"

He really had no choice in the matter really. He'd been caught snooping without any sound findings backing him up. The least he could do now was take her proposal into consideration. "Fine, I'll see what I can do. We will be holding a council meeting in a week's time from now. I will bring it up then and see what the other clan head have to say. If they agree to grant you permission to establish your clan then you'll be called in for the next council meeting. We'll hold the mock exams after that time but I would like to receive those documents before the end of this week if possible. How does that sound?"

Yuuki smiled, she'd won this one. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Two down and a hundred more changes to go. "That sounds just great Hokage-sama. Thank you for sparing me some of your time. I'll get right onto finding those old journals; you know how things get scattered right after a move. I guess its bye for now, goodnight".

Sarutobi watched her get up to leave, the urge to call her back and try to pry more information out of her unwilling mind biting at him. But the pounding headache stopped him, could he really afford to go another round with such a clever little girl. She'd promised to bring him accounted documents of her clan, a mock battle from each of her guardians, protection for Naruto and a hint as to why he felt like he'd heard of her clan before. All he could do was follow these leads.

"Itachi-kun, I'd like you to call your father and Hiashi for me. Tell them it's urgent. I'd also like it if you told the sectary downstairs to check our archives for the word 'Hellsing'.

"As you wish Hokage-sama".

* * *

Done with this chapter, sorry for the long, long wait. I haven't been on the ball lately.


	22. Chapter 22: Back room deals & Allergies

My apologies to all those who had to wait so long for this chapter, it wasn't my intent. I hope you deeply enjoy it and still want more afterwards. I'll do my best to make up for the lost time as soon as possible. Thank you all.

_I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away  
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away  
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away  
Just to throw it away, just to throw it away_

"_Bleed it out" by Linkin Park_

* * *

**Chapter 22: Back room deals & Allergies**

To say Fugato wasn't a happy camper right now would be the understatement of the year. He'd been cuddled up with his wife; getting the last bit of sleep he could afford after pulling another all-nighter at the station. Only to have his eldest son abruptly wake him up with summons from the Hokage. It was well-known in Konoha that Fugato Uchiha was one of its most hard-working men. It was a well-known fact that he slept less than most men on a regular basis. For the Hokage to interrupt his short rest at such an ungodly hour must mean something of great importance must have happened; perhaps a turning point in their fruitless search for the unnamed Uchiha child. He hoped so; he was beginning to worry the case would soon turn cold, with no evidence or clues to rely on. They only had Hiashi's witness report and a simple piece of paper, anyone could have written.

Shivering from the chills of dawn, he followed his silent son to the neighboring Hyuuga compound. It gave him sick pleasure to know Hiashi was about to go through the same unpleasant fate as him. The wary gate guards didn't want to give them passage; identifiable by the way they gnashed their teeth as they pushed the gates open. It must eat away at their Clan pride to see Uchihas enter their pristine grounds. Smirking a little to himself, he followed his son into the reception hall; taking a seat on one of the pillows. They were served their tea and asked to wait as the attendant went to call Hiashi.

To be honest despite popular belief; even though he'd been Hiashi's teammate, he hadn't visited these grounds often. It had been a short-lived truce between himself and Hiashi as kids. Outside of their teamwork they wouldn't get involved in the other's business. No one knew about the truce struck between them; to Minato and their sensei it might have looked like they'd suddenly grown tired of fighting. Now that he did have the opportunity, he took a good look at the room. The decor reminded him very much of a Hyuuga; plain with subdued cream colors, and harsh solid black drapes. _Their choice of colors due to their incessant obsession with yin and yang no doubt, _he thought.

Finally; while he was contemplating, Hiashi did come out to join them. He gave his expected apology for his tardiness but Fugato just glared. His words weren't truly heartfelt, nor were they even meant for them. He was just regurgitating the same old apology because of socially expected norms and courtesy. Fugato kept his silence as Itachi filled Hiashi in on the reason why they'd been rudely awoken. As expected of the man, his old rival gave no signs of what he thought on the matter. He wasn't pleased that was certain but other than that, you couldn't tell. With no further need for questions, they all headed towards the administrations building. The sectary didn't ask them for any cumbersome signatures or information, a wise decision on her part. Neither Hiashi nor Fugato were in the mood to be civil.

Going up the steps to the top floor, down the hallway and towards the large double doors that lead to the Hokage's office, they paused to knock.

Knock

"Come in"

The three men bowed in respect as they stepped over the threshold. "You called for us Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi looked up from the reference file he'd been reading for the past fifteen minutes and adjusted his glasses. "Yes, I did. I pray it wasn't much of a disturbance to you both. It's just this matter is rather large and I'd rather have your counsel before deciding anything. Please have a seat" he offered, but as Itachi moved to step back out of the door, his hand shot up. "Oh and Itachi-kun. You may stay; I'd like your opinion as well on this matter."

The strange turn of events caught the other two adults by surprise. Why was Itachi being asked to remain? So far they'd done well to keep the children out of their little research project on the unnamed child star. So unless the Hokage's new lead had to do with the boy, it meant this was an entirely different matter all together. This gave life to a blaze of new thoughts in the two men's heads but they were trained enough to refrain from immediately asking. The Hokage would explain on his own terms.

"The reason I have called you three here tonight is because just a few minutes ago; Yuuki Hellsing came into my office with a proposal for her Clan's establishment here in Konoha." He let the last bit hang and waited for the responses. As expected, instantly looks of suspicion were traded. Itachi of course was untouched by the momentary turmoil; having had the first hand experience himself through the shadows. A retelling paled in comparison.

"Hokage-sama did she give her reasons for this course of action?" asked Hiashi, his voice as sharp as his eyes. His suspicions for her motives were clear enough.

"If possible I would like to see the official documents" asked Fugato; concurring with his teammate, a very rare event. His dark eyes strayed to his son's face in hopes of seeing how this news affected him. To his disappointment and pride he found his son's face to be expressionless; the epitome of what a shinobi's face should be. At times like this he didn't know whether to be thankful for having such a perfect shinobi for a son or resentful for the eternal barrier it created. He wanted his son human…whatever his son was now; it was close to not being human.

Sarutobi gave his consent, passing along the scroll on his desk for the two to cross-check. He'd poured over it some more after the clever girl had left but try as he may he found nothing amiss within it. There was little to no threat for himself or the current Clans; the only ones seemingly losing were the Hellsings; which is what kept him looking over the scroll again and again. No one entered a deal with the intention of losing, no one. There had to be some subtle clause he was missing. Which made him consider what she and her guardians had to gain from this; a seat in the council, privileges only a clan member could have, more influence over Naruto and perhaps in Konoha itself. Looking at it from a logical stand point; she'd gain nothing from the first two. Even with a seat in the Council, should the others choose to ignore her due to age she'd gain nothing from it. Second, Clan privileges haven't been used in a long time in Konoha; most Clans even forgot they had them most of the time. They were only there for decoration and flattery for the Clans.

What worried him most was the possibility of her influence on Naruto growing further. At the moment he has been in support of all her actions concerning the boy but should she try to abuse her power over the boy, what would he do? Get Naruto away from her of course, however with him becoming Katsu's apprentice this could be easier said than done. At the very least he knew her intentions were not to take Naruto away from Konoha. He had the feeling, had that been her plan they wouldn't be seating here drinking tea and talking like this. So what in the world was Yuuki Hellsing really after?

Two equally frustrated sighs broke him from his thoughts. Somewhere between the scroll had found its way back to his desk. Both of their faces looked pensive.

"There are no loopholes to be found Hokage-sama. Their demands are as stated, with little room for alternate interpretations on either side. However I fear if there are alternative motives they'll probably be drastic since they took so much care to hide them" said Fugato, a man with great knowledge on the law.

Hiashi nodded, "Her choice of business is questionable but that's not to say it hasn't been done before. I've seen many nobles squander their money to priests and priestesses claiming to be performing exorcisms. While I don't condone her tricking people out of their money, it's not to say it can't be done."

"My concerns are for her interest in Naruto and her constant wish to pull him closer to her" said Sarutobi, voicing his deepest worries. Itachi's hand did twitch on that, drawing notice from the other three. If they had no reasons to believe he had an interest in the girl, this was as good a sign as any; jealousy over a little boy who seemed to be the center of Yuuki's world at the moment. Smartly, they kept what they knew to themselves. It wasn't their business for the moment.

"This apprenticeship…did she state anymore of what it would entail? His work schedule, possible benefits or even the reason of her choice?" asked Hiashi, a bit hurt she hadn't chosen one of his daughters. The three seemed to get along well enough; even Hanabi was beginning to show an interest in befriending the girl.

Sarutobi gave a weary grin; a Hyuuga with a wounded pride could be difficult to deal with. "She said her choice was based on where her loyalties lie, which happens to be with Naruto; her very first friend here. I suppose she thought he needed it most, seeing how out of all her friends he's the only one without a clan for protection."

The two seemed to understand this, probably comparing her loyalty to that of theirs where Minato was concerned. "But I take it that is not all Hokage-sama?" inquired Hiashi.

Sarutobi shook his grey head, "I'm afraid not, it appears we've overlooked something in our initial research on the Hellsings. We've been so stuck on her background story; we've focused only on Suna and outside countries. Imagine my shock when she redirected my attentions back to Konoha."

The three present shared shocked looks. "What do you mean Hokage-sama?"

He sighed, "It appears the Hellsings are a nomadic Clan but they were first founded here in Konoha, along with the rest of the first founding Clans. To think it was right under our noses this whole time. In essence it's her right to reestablish her Clan here in Konoha. We can't stop her from enacting the laws as a member of the first founding members. We should think it was only a show of her humility and kindness to ask first, rather than demand it like she rightfully could have. This proposal wasn't necessary for her at all."

The others sat gaping before their Hokage; a slight parting of their lips was all they'd allow of course. Hiashi honestly felt like hitting himself over the head with something. How could they have been so blind not to check their own village records! "Hokage-sama, I am deeply sorry for my incompetence on this matter."

"As am I Hokage-sama" said Fugato, a slight bow of his head in apology. He had to admit, this was a huge oversight on their part. "I promise this failure won't be repeated in the near future."

Sarutobi shrugged, knowing these two stiff men before him were probably overly condemning themselves now on the inside anyway. "To be honest I would appreciate it if you weren't so hard on yourselves. I'm just as guilty after all, I had all the resources under my charge and yet it never occurred to me to check. Had I acted on my hunch a bit earlier we could have been a bit closer to the truth. I'd simply assumed it was a passing deal we had with them in the past. It never occurred to me that they could have been so ingrained into our village."

Fugato frowned, "Then how in the world did Yuuki's group end up in Suna?"

Hiashi's frown deepened, and his lips twisted ruefully. "That is to say her story is to be believed…"

Sarutobi nodded; his feelings exactly on the matter. "Apparently at one point they began to migrate again, perhaps this 'business' of theirs forces them to move over time. There are only so many noble families you can con into giving you money for exorcisms. Our records lose sight of them after the Nidaime's term of office."

"That's quite some time" mumbled Itachi, causing the other three to jump slightly. To be honest with themselves, they'd almost forgotten he'd been in the room. He'd been so silent, simply observing, that they'd gradually forgotten his presence in exchange for thoughts of their latest discovery. Fugato didn't want to admit it but his son could be scary in that manner, causing even seasoned ninjas like to jump. The way he could blend in with the darkness was almost too much. Perhaps this new love interest wasn't such a bad thing for him. If this new affair with Yuuki could dull the edge of Itachi's blade even a little, then all the better. An overly sharp blade wasn't always a good thing; it could cut not only enemies but its user too. If that happened; Fugato has no doubt Danzo would seek to take care of his son.

He honestly wished to ask for the Hokage's help to demilitarize his son's perspective on life. However grievances of the past kept his lips shut almost as tightly as a fuujutsu seal.

"Y-yes, quite a long time Itachi-kun. Yuuki has promised us more information on her Clan should we accept her proposal. Even a mock battle from her two guardians" said Sarutobi.

Fugato nodded, "that sounds promising, I've been meaning to find a way to investigate those two's capabilities anyway. This is as good a chance as any, have you decided on their opponents?"

Sarutobi shook his head, "No, not really. This all happened too suddenly for me to make the official preparations. Which brings me to the main reason I called you here tonight. I was hoping to get your input on this. Should we really accept her proposal? If she is unaware of her legal rights to re-enact her Clan without my permission then we could stop her ambitions here."

"I highly doubt that she's unaware of her legal rights. Not if she **was** the one that directed you to her Clan's history. I believe we really have no choice in this; trying to prevent her would only mark us as enemies in her eyes. We don't know the Hellsings enough yet to be making enemies out of them."

The adults sighed. Perhaps with anybody else, at any other time they would say it was simply the crush speaking but this was Itachi Uchiha; the child prodigy with the brain of a genius, and damn it all if he didn't make sound sense. "This is a perfect chance to at least to tie them down to the village for some time. As a Clan they'll have to stay for some time within the Village and pledge fealty to you."

Sarutobi nodded, "what you say is true. At the moment I fear the only thing that keeps them in Konoha is Naruto's well-being. I suppose there's nothing to do but put it up to vote at the next council meeting."

"Let's just hope her intentions are what she says or this could become a very costly mistake for us" groaned Fugato. Much like the one he was facing personally now.

* * *

**Scene Skip**

Yuuki was in a daze for the remainder of the week. Sure she attended her classes with the others in body, even attending the extra study sessions when her schedule allowed it. However her mind was on other things. While there was little Sarutobi could do to hinder her, there was always room for something to go wrong, some unexpected clause to pop-up against her. She didn't want a political battle on her hands right now. It was enough to just monitor the Uchiha Clan without being caught. Thankfully her friendship with Sasuke and Itachi was becoming a great benefit on her side.

The rumors of course were already spreading. The introduction of a new clan to the system; it was all the buzz and rage in the market places. Everyone had their bets on who it would; most of course betted on older shinobi families. Some said it could be the Haruno family, having been shinobi for so long and yet not part of the fold of the elite Clans. Others said it was Tenten's family, having been creating both shinobi and their weapons for many years now. Yuuki let them guess, the more excited they got; the more it pushed the council to establish her. If only to satisfy the rumor mill.

Her dazed state led to her being caught off guard one Thursday afternoon during training at the academy. They were to be working on target practice with blunt kunais, how the son of one rich merchant thought it wise to bring a real kunai to school to show off to his friends was unclear to most. Bragging to his friends, he brought out the new Copper kunai his father had bought him for his recent birthday. "See what did I tell ya, only great Shinobi use these! I bet I can even throw better than Sasuke Uchiha with one of these" he mouthed off.

One of the other boys stuck his nose in the high, clearly not believing in his words. "Prove it" he mouthed.

Now under normal circumstances this is where the jokes would end and the big-headed boy would turn tail and refuse. However today Daichi seemed to be a marble too short, he let the provocation get to him. Grinning from ear to ear, he waited for Iruka to give them the signal to lose fire on the dummy targets. Gripping the copper kunai with unsteady hands he released it too suddenly, causing the trajectory to go haywire. The kunai bogged and weaved through a group of his peers. It caused screams and a mass of scrambling students in its wake. It was funny to watch his peers jump about like they had no good sense.

Funny…till the kunai struck home in the thigh of a certain dazed Hellsing heiress. She'd been looking at her target dummy, allowing her mind to be distracted to deskill her throw, only to feel a searing pain in her thigh the next minute. Dropping to her knees she groaned and tried to yank the damn cause of her pain out; whatever it was. However the instant her hands contacted the metal she hissed like a burned cat and retracted her hands. However despite the pain she knew she had to get whatever had hit her out of her body. It was starting to burn her from the inside out; it dug in too deeply for her to simply yank it out. She'd have to pull. Pulling meant touching that fiery metal again. She cursed and began to scream as the pain grew with each moment the blade stayed in.

She could feel her eyes dilate, contracting in and out much like her muscles. She could hear people moving about her; her scared peers and frantic teachers. No one knew what was wrong, sure she had a copper kunai to the thigh but all she had to do was pull it out. Normally that's what one did and then they could attend to her wounds. As it was her constant screaming and twisting on the floor made no sense. The level of pain she was displaying didn't match the wound.

Her friends watched transfixed and worried. Why hadn't she pulled out the blade yet? Sasuke had seen her try but immediately retreat as though burned. They didn't know what to do, Iruka walked closer to her, aiming to do it himself when a circle of fire surrounded her. Frightened a bit, he stepped back.

When the fires died down, her friends caught the familiar sight of Katsu and Seras standing by her side. Immediately upon taking in the situation Seras took guard and Katsu attended to her. Kneeling by his kit, he held her down firmly to stop her squirming.

"It…burns!" she screamed, her voice hysteric.

"I know kit, I know. I'm going to get it out now, breath in, breath out. Yes like that, now 1, 2..3" he yanked it out as quick as lighten.

The effects were immediate, her thrashing stopped and her breathing became steady. Slowly she began to calm down, panting a little. When she collected herself, she looked around to catch the faces of her classmates. Her eyes were a burning blood-red. It scared some of the kids enough to take two steps back.

Finally, realizing the commotion was coming to a close Iruka stepped in. "I'm deeply sorry to have let this happen to your charge under my watch but I assure you I didn't think the wound was as grave as she acted. I thought she'd pull out the kunai herself immediately."

Katsu nodded, cradling his frightened kit. "I'm sure she would have too…except for the fact that she is **allergic** to Copper."

Everyone stood dumbfounded. Allergic to Copper; who'd ever heard of such a thing? Iruka looked closer at Yuuki. She was still shaking a little and her hands; what little he could see of them, were burned. He gasped realizing the magnitude of what had happened. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know she had such a condition. I assure you it will be taken to reference from here on out."

Katsu gave him a crooked grin, "I bet it will. But for now I'd like to know who is the owner of this fine Copper kunai?"

He waved the kunai around with an easy that was scary, eyeing each one of the students with those predatory red eyes. The children physically stiffened, some even went so far as to look away. Even Yuuki's friends were not spared.

"I call always tell by the scent you know. I'd hate to have to find you myself, I'd rather you be the bigger man and step up" he drawled. His red eyes scanning the sea of uneasy faces till he stopped at a certain merchant boy. The boy literally went pale as he was narrowed out by those eyes. He was sure if he was ever to die, this would be it.

While Iruka was all for disciplining a child he wasn't sure Daichi would come out of this in one piece if he didn't stop it now. Stepping in, he reached out for the kunai. "I'm afraid and ashamed to say this happened on my watch. And as such I would like to deal with the culprit myself if you don't mind."

Katsu raised a brow to his request. He could tell that Iruka was starting to fear him too. And yet he would stick his head out for a stupid child not even his own, an admirable quality; some of the few that still remained in humans. Sighing, he placed the kunai in Iruka's hand. "Fine have it your way, but I don't want to ever hear of this repeated. Stick to the curriculum kids; there's a reason it's there for piss-poor shots like that one" he said, sarcasm dripping from every words as he began to walk away.

"Will Yuuki be re-joining us for the rest of the lessons?" hesitantly asked Iruka, not sure what foot was the best to put down anymore with this Katsu.

Turning his head, Katsu eyed the docile teacher. "No, not for today but she'll be back tomorrow. I wish you a good day Iruka-sensei."

The rest of the class could only watch as the three departed. The atmosphere; so intense while they'd been there, lessened the moment they'd completely left. Everyone felt they could breathe a little easier. Immediately the rumors began to fly about; girls and boys alike were whispering to each other. The gang ignored them, preferring to confer amongst themselves about what had happened and what to do next. Do they go to visit Yuuki?

"I didn't know she was allergic to copper…" murmured Naruto, thinking of all the times he'd been with Yuuki. To be honest he didn't think he'd ever seen her holding copper in her hand. Silver, wood, metals and iron works but never copper. It was usually considered a third-rate metal anyway so people rarely used it these days.

"Neither did I" said Hinata, her voice sad as she thought of the pain her friend must have been in. She too had been one of those to doubt the amount of pain Yuuki had been displaying. She had thought she'd simply been acting dramatic.

Sasuke held on to his comments, he was still mulling this over.

"That's why she couldn't pull out the kunai, it burned her to even try" reasoned Shikamaru.

"So guys what do we do?" asked Kiba, he always preferred acting to seating and waiting.

"You finish the rest of Class" came a voice from behind.

They all turned to face an annoyed Iruka. Abashed, they followed his orders and headed back into the Classroom; the practical part of their training was done for today.

* * *

Ok so that's the end of this chapter. Bet I surprised you with the copper thing^3^. But don't worry I won't go about making her into a liability and trophy wife. She will be a fighter. I'm just not going to make her invincible either. For those who stayed fateful to the story, you have my sincere thanks. I hope I've replied every one of your reviews. Till next time.


	23. Chapter 23: irritating conditions

_Tell me again that I am strong  
Tell me again that I won't fall  
I need You here to fix me where I'm wrong  
Take me beyond what I can see  
Break me, make me believe  
You have made me all I need to be_

"_**All I need to be" by Fireflight**_

* * *

**Chapter 23: Irritating conditions!**

As soon as the cabin door was shut, all hell broke loose. By then Yuuki had recovered enough of her composure to function properly. She let this be known immediately, telling Kyuubi to put her down. As commanded he dropped her unceremoniously on her rear. Bouncing to her feet, ready to give him a piece of her mind, Yuuki whirled around. "What the hell was that for!" she screamed, practically spewing fire from her mouth.

Kyuubi had the gall to stare her down like some pissed off mother-hen, reprimanding her baby chick; hands on hips and all. "Perhaps because this is about the third time I've had to make a public appearance to save your ass from one thing or the other. Ever thought of that? I don't remember getting a superman badge you know".

She was so taken back by his reference to a 21th century superhero that she lost her chance at a comeback. It had never occurred to her that Kyuubi could have gotten worried about her recent string of emergency calls. But she could see it past the mother-hen act. It was there in the way his red eyes seemed to look her over as though searching for more wounds and the pinched frown on his lips. If Kyuubi had been truly angry he'd have resorted to out-right violence to get his point across. But this time he just stood there, as though taking her in, making sure she was really there.

"I'm sorry Kyuubi…I didn't mean to worry you" she whispered softly.

He seemed to deflate a bit, "I know Kit but you have to remember what I did for you. It's a onetime deal. Anything happen this go around, there is no other".

Seeing that the worst had past, she perked up. "It wasn't like I asked to be stabbed you know, besides last time I checked this is only the second time you've saved me in public".

"Third" Kyuubi grounded out through tight lips. He didn't want to explain how he'd had to make himself known to the dream walker to save her. He'd rather she simply forget the incident. Any thoughts of the dream walker could attract his attention right back.

"What was the third time then?" she asked, absolutely sure she was right.

Kyuubi rolled his eyes at her stubbornness, never expect an Uzumaki to let things drop. "Just forget it Kit."

"So why did you get hit?" asked Seras, sensing the need for a change of subject. She too didn't want to broach the issue of the dream. It had scared her silly.

Now Kyuubi's attention was focused again, glaring he continued his rant. "Yes, just how did you manage to get a copper kunai buried into your thigh? Last I checked, we agreed you'd deskill yourself to blend in with the rest but we didn't agree that you'd take every damn poor shot thrown at you!"

Yuuki raised her hands to her head in defense, sometimes his voice raising an octave was all it took. "Again! I will restate it never my intention to get hit by a copper kunai in the first place. I was just a bit…distracted by the clan stuff when it happened. How would I know some idiot would bring a real kunai to school for a practice session?"

"And so you were too distracted to get out of the way like the rest of the smarter kids on his hit list. Bad survival skills kid, bad survival skills" said Seras, even clicking her tongue in disapproval.

Yuuki gaped, were they just going to gang up on her like this. Beat a cloud Junín to the ground and you get a bit of praise, get hit by a poor shot merchant boy and that was the end of your credibility. She wished the earth could just swallow her now, even just for a little while. Till this whole thing was forgotten at least. She had no doubt the kids at school must be having a field day with this. 'Yuuki Hellsing allergic to Copper' the headlines for their next school paper no doubt. She just wanted to scream, or at least beat the shit out of the snot-nose brat that started this whole thing. Getting back to the point at hand she turned her attention to Kyuubi. "By the way just how am I, and I do quote on this 'allergic to copper'?"

Kyuubi rolled his eyes and motioned for her to follow him into the secret base, apparently this was something best explained in private. Heading down the dark pathway, they entered the first room, taking seats at what Yuuki had dubbed their 'counsel table'.

Once situated he spoke up, "Yuuki now that you have the basic gist of what went down during the 21th century, let's focus on your Vampire lore. How much do you know about Vampires right now?"

Yuuki scratched her head a bit. "They're pale, pretty, inhumanly strong, and hard to kill, have great senses, sharp eyes, incredibly fast, have no heartbeat, red eyes and are cold to the touch. Why?"

Kyuubi gave a hesitant nod, "Not so sure about the pretty part but I'm sure Seras and Alucard take it as a compliment…wait forget the last one. He'd kill you, descendant or no. Why I'm asking this Yuuki is because I'd like to know if you know how to kill a Vampire".

Yuuki frowned, looking to Seras like she had all the answers. The Vampress shook her head, basically saying 'take refuge somewhere else'. Sighing, she tried to say anything that came to mind. "I guess you could stake them. I'd have said garlic but apparently it's just an odor problem really. I am not really sure".

Kyuubi sighed, slapping his palm to his face and bringing it down dramatically. Yuuki rolled her eyes, the drama Queen. If her ignorance disgusted him so much he just had to say it, or better yet say nothing at all, not this drama queen act.

"Kit pay attention cuz it seems like we have a lot of work to do. First off let me re-educate you that stabbing a stake of any kind through anything with a functional beating heart would be certain death for it. Human, werewolves, even the Easter bunny, get it?"

She sniffed, so what if her answer had been horribly off target. "What's your deal with Eastern Bunnies man?"

"You have no idea…anyway suffice it to say stakes can kill anything with a beating heart".

"Then it can kill Vampires then!" she screamed in triumph.

"Why do you think so?" asked Kyuubi, humoring her for a bit more as she dug her own grave.

Unknowing of her eminent doom, she pointed to Seras, startling the Vampress. "Seras can make her heart beat!"

Kyuubi looked to the heavens, as though asking them why they'd stuck him with such a dumb kit. Taking a deep breath he began again. "Kit just think about that sentence. I said a functional heartbeat. If Seras has to make it beat, it wasn't functioning in the first place! Now quit interrupting".

Utterly defeated, she simmered down and sipped on her juice provided by Seras.

"Vampires can be killed in many ways however other than direct contact with sunlight for the younger members; it all comes down to one thing".

"And that is?" she feigned excitement.

"Orichalcum" he said with a twisted grin.

Seras shifted in her seat with discomfort. Yuuki didn't get it. "What is that again?"

Kyuubi leaned back, deceptively relaxed. "Orichalcum is a legendary metal said to date back even past the time of the Greeks. It was said to have been part of Atlantis".

Yuuki frowned, "But no one ever was able to prove Atlantis existed".

Kyuubi grinned like a mischievous imp. "No living human could. But I assure you there are many supernaturals that could attest to having lived there before the descent".

She eyed him closely, "I'm guessing you're one of them then?"

Kyuubi huffed, "As if Kit, check your dates! I'm only a thousand years old you know, perfectly young and fit. But I do know others that are much, much older than me".

Yuuki rolled her eyes, like a thousand years wasn't dinosaur years for regular mortals. "And? Orchicalcum, vampires dying, how does it all fit together?"

Kyuubi gave her a pointed look, "watch the tone kit, hate for you to lose a tongue so early in life, would make a lot of things hard for you, that it would. Anyway, as I was saying, you can kill a Vampire in many ways like you can any being really, but you usually always have to have a piece of orichalcum with you. It's the equivalent to silver for Weres. It makes a Vampire weak enough to be killed. If you should stab a Vampire with Orichalcum in the heart they die, chop off their head they die, or even maim a piece of their flesh with it; the scar would last for as long as they live. Which is a long time so I suppose they'd be pissed about it?"

Yuuki gaped, "And just how am I to get my hands on a metal that's said to have come from Atlantis. Don't know about you but I don't think Konoha sells that stuff at your average shinobi outlet!"

Kyuubi waved her off, "don't go panicking on me now kit, it's embarrassing. Trust me when I say I came well prepared".

He said this walking over to the weapon's rack and for the first time Yuuki realized how well organized they were. Gold weapons to one side, bronze and copper below, silver weapons to the other and metal weapons in-between. They were ranked in size, weight, rounds and ammunition. A weapons fanatic like Tenten would be drooling over the mere sight, let alone to hold them and feel the expert craftsmanship.

Returning to the table with a knife of each metal, he laid them out on the table. Seras shifted out of the way of the knife furthest to the left. Yuuki would bet one of her nine lives that it was the Orichalcum. But she eyed the copper knife warily too, the pain of before flashing through her thigh.

Tentatively taking hold of the silver dagger, he held it up for her to see. "Silver and electricity would hurt anything Were very badly".

"Why electricity?" asked Seras, finding this new to her too.

"Because it takes an attentive mind to stay in the shape of a human. Weres probably do it to a subconscious level and so aren't aware of the effort but put enough electricity in them to cancel out those mental waves and they revert to their true form" he explained, actually casting a raiton shadow jutsu and having the clone touch his hand. Immediately his long red hair was standing to attention like some rocker's mohawk. But what amazed the other two were the two furry ears on top his head and the puff fluffy tail swishing about. Now that's something you don't see every day.

"In human form animal spirits are quite similar to weres. There are many cases where we've been mistaken for the other" he explained, dismissing the clone in a spark of bolts and going about brushing his hair back down. Yuuki gaped, just where the hell had that brush come from! The bloody narcissist.

"Now moving on" he said once he'd gotten his hair back to a gravity approved do. He moved on to touch the next knife to the left; the orichalcum. "Kit, this is what Orichalcum looks like. You'd think its gold at first sight but you look closer and you see it has a rainbow shine to it that's beyond gold. Once upon a time it was actually called fool's gold because of this. Though it looks like gold, it ranked lower than gold to the Greeks. Now for a real life demonstration, Seras if you please?" he offered and she stepped back a bit.

The blonde looked about ready to jump out of her skin but she seemed to fight against her instincts. Sticking out her hand and letting him stab her palm with the blade. Instantly upon impact she hissed like an abused cat, her fangs bared for all to see. The hissing stopped as he removed the dagger, becoming small growls in her throat.

Yuuki watched in morbid fascination and horror as it all happened. She'd been too slow to figure out what he'd been about to do and before she knew it, he'd stabbed Seras. She watched as the wound closed up on Seras' bleeding hand, licking her lips a little as she saw the red recede.

"Seras just went through what you went through at the training grounds" said Kyuubi, reseating himself and giving Seras an apologetic nod.

Yuuki frowned, "But then why copper for me? Why not Orichalcum or silver like you? I'm supposed to have your blood, Alucard and Integra's combined right? So why not one or the other, why copper?"

Kyuubi shrugged, "Why's the sky blue? Why do fish live in the sea? How can birds fly? It's just one of those things that nature gives and we take for granted. There must always be a balance Yuuki. Nothing is ever truly immortal, for some beings you have to get a little bit more creative than most but mark my words. No one is immortal. Death comes for us all eventually. Nature just decided this would be it for you".

"Well that just…sucks. Now what do we do about this. After the fiasco at the school people should know by now about my 'allergy' to copper. It'll be a drag if I fight anyone that knows about this. One stab of copper and down I go, crying and squirming."

In reply Kyuubi simply gave her one of those grins she'd come to hate with a passion. It was a grin that said much pain would come from his next decision, a lot of pain on her part. "Simple kit, we train your tolerance to it."

She gulped, "And just how do we do that?"

Kyuubi pointed one of those manicured black nails to Seras. "Take from her example, by exposing you to it over and over again till you can function with it. Ya dig?"

Yuuki paled, she'd die again today.

* * *

**Scene Skip Uchiha Household**

Itachi looked over to his little brother again. Sasuke wasn't much for talking on his best days but he could definitely tell something was bothering his brother. Whatever it is had been bothering him since he'd walked into the house, maybe even before. Itachi wanted to ask him about it, to relieve his brother of any burdens that may have latched onto him. However, he'd been unable to get his unresponsive little brother's attention till now. He didn't think it would be best to broach the subject at the dinner table but he could tell his parents had already noticed Sasuke's deposition. If he didn't ask, he knew his parents definitely would. The question was who would be best to ask. He could ask and perhaps Sasuke would respond, if his father asked the question it'd likely sound like a frontal attack. No, his father was for the worst case scenario. He looked to his mother; she would have been their best bet.

While his little brother adored him, his constant wish to look perfect in his eyes always causes him to hide weakness. Their mother was the middle ground in the family. No one had to prove anything to her; she'd love them all regardless. Still there was the uncertain factor of their guest playing into his brother's decision. Akiko was staying over at their house again tonight. For some reason she seemed to want to fit in with his family by all means. It didn't bother him much; his father condoned it, his mother liked to have another female around the house to talk with. Her presence didn't seem to cause much of a disturbance, however he wasn't sure Sasuke would be willing to fess up in her presence.

"Today…" he began, speaking for the first time since he got home. "Yuuki got hurt during our practice session."

Several sharp intakes of breath happened at once. Her mere name caused Itachi to be at odds with himself. The shinobi side of him wanted to wait and analysis every word from his little brother, to dissect the situation. But another part of him, the more human part of him wanted to rush over to check on her wellbeing. If it had affected his brother so much; surely it must have been something very dangerous. He wished he'd been her shadow today; however he had duties of his own. Today had been the reassessment test for the Anbu. He and Shisui had passed of course but some others hadn't and had been demoted back to trainees.

"Oh dare, the poor girl. What happened?" asked his Mother.

Her voice had the soothing effect Itachi had hoped for. Ignoring Akiko's presence, Sasuke poured out his troubles. "Today we were to be practicing throwing blunt kunais at the targets but Daichi brought a copper kunai to show off to his friends. He's a terrible shot at target practice so he missed. His kunai hit Yuuki in the hip. She fell down screaming…Mom it was horrible. She screamed like she was dying. Later Katsu appeared and pulled the kunai from her leg. He was so angry; it looked like he wanted to maim Daichi. For some reason he knew exactly who had thrown the kunai."

Fugato's eyes narrowed, not liking what he was hearing in the least. Everything in his bones screamed the Hellsings were a serious threat. And yet every time Yuuki Hellsing defied his assumptions, first the crutches and now this. He couldn't place her in a category, he couldn't welcome her with open arms to the village, he just didn't know what to do with her.

"That's not all, apparently the reason it hurt her so much that she couldn't even pull it out of her leg was because she's allergic to copper. Mom in the short time I've known Yuuki, I've never seen her touch anything copper" finished Sasuke, his eyes looking a bit haunted as though retelling the story was enough to relive it. Itachi gave his little brother a pat on the shoulder, trying to reassuring him in the few ways he knew how. It must have been shocking to see that happen to a friend. It made him consider what he would have done had he been there. Would he have broken the rules and rushed to her aid? Or glare at the merchant boy with enough killer intent to do some real physiological damage? He wasn't sure…but whatever the answer maybe, it certainly wouldn't have been to stay put.

"She's allergic to copper? What a stupid thing to be allergic to"

The family was a bit startled to hear Akiko's voice. She'd done well to blend in with the family, silently picking at her food, just listening. Sasuke blushed a bit, more out of anger at himself for telling something so intimate about Yuuki to a stranger than embarrassment. Iruka had ordered them all to keep Yuuki's allergy a secret after all. Mikoto gave her a disapproving stare. "We are not in any position to say what's a stupid condition or not!"

Itachi raised a brow to her tone. His mother was taking Yuuki's side; so then she approves of her. He looked to his right, Akiko looked like she was about to die of embarrassment. He'd never considered why his mother's approval was such an important thing for the girl but she sought after it almost like a plant to the sun. It was like the more of his mother's approval she had, the bolder she became. It was strange, but he didn't care enough to consider it for long. Already he was making plans in his mind to get back on watch duty as Yuuki's shadow. He'd have to ask for a temporary transfer from the strike unit to the observatory unit from the Hokage. And probably find the Anbu who was on duty today as well. Not to do anything out of line of course, just to have a few words.

"Will she be ok, it isn't a severe allergy is it?" asked his mother, speaking his inner most concerns.

Sasuke shook his head, "we don't know. We tried to visit the cabin after school but Katsu told us she needed rest and that she'd see us tomorrow."

"Well it must not be so bad then" said Akiko, her chipper tone seeming to come from a strange place.

His mother offered her a smile at her display of positive thinking. Itachi swore the girl looked like she was about to swoon. Again he raised a brow to her strange reactions to his mother's actions. But perhaps he shouldn't have even made the effort. She was looking at him now, something lurking in her eyes that he wasn't sure he wanted to examine. Diverting his attention to his brother, he avoided her gaze. He couldn't confront a woman at the dinner table after all. Best ignore her.

"Tomorrow after school I'll come to pick you up and we can invite Yuuki and Naruto over again. Would you like that little brother?"

"Very much!" Sasuke tried to muzzle his excitement but it didn't work. Everyone could clearly see the prospect excited him. However Itachi was sure he'd caught a frown on Akiko's face. Perhaps it was a slight of the lighting.

Once dinner was over everyone headed to bed, in his dreams he dreamt of the scene Sasuke had described. Only this time he'd been there to stop the Kunai from striking Yuuki. As a reward she'd given him a smile that made his heart beat resound in him for the first time.

* * *

**Hellsing Cabin.**

Yuuki wanted to hurl, heaps and heaps of blood from her mouth. They'd been practicing at her tolerance levels for hours now. By now it must be past midnight. Soon Kyuubi would let her get some rest but it wasn't soon enough. She could feel her consciousness swimming as Seras stabbed another copper dagger into her arm. She clutched at it but stifled her scream, grinding her eyes shut.

"You're still feeling too much!"

"Well yeah! It's kind of hard not to you know. Problem with owning mortal flesh!" she screamed out, at her limit.

Kyuubi sighed, "I guess we should call it a night from here. I don't want you too weak to function tomorrow. But just so you know, we're going to keep doing this till you learn to ignore the burning pains. Tomorrow we'll move on to actual mock battles with Seras while she uses copper weapons. However you're not allowed to use Orichalcum, that stuff is too dangerous for a Vampire even if it's just a mock battle. One misplaced strike and Seras could die or get seriously hurt. Copper is very dangerous to you too but it's not something that can kill or scar you just by touch. It's just the metal that hurts you the most."

"Thanks for the pep talk sir" she snarled, not meaning to be mean but as a human copper pin cushion she couldn't help it. Slowly she grabbed hold of the copper hilt imbedded into her arm and yanked it out, hissing. She moved on to the one on her left leg. At its removal she wobbled, nearly falling over but Seras caught her, the concern back into her red eyes as she helped her remove the rest of the knives. Yuuki tried to offer her a smile.

"I'm ok" she whispered from her hoarse throat.

"No, you're not sweetie. Here have some of my blood" encouraged Seras as she lifted her bleeding wrist to Yuuki's lips. At first Yuuki didn't want to go on a blood trip again but then the pains really got to her and she relented, taking deep swigs. She could almost feel the immediate repairs to her body; the wounds closing of their own accord, her energy returning slowly. But for once she didn't go on a blood trip; apparently their little exercise had worn her out too much for even that. She was grateful.

Gently Seras carried her back to the meeting room. Placing her in one of the chairs, she moved to seat beside her as Kyuubi took his usual seat.

"What, we're not finished for the day?" asked Yuuki, her brain working at half power for the moment.

"Yes, if you would please try to remember we have an Uchiha meeting to interrupt coming up soon."

She sat up straighter with a start. How could she have forgotten! They were planning to attack the core planners of the Uchiha rebellion. It wasn't the best sort of way to stop an Uchiha, what with them being all for revenge but it would buy them time. The Uchihas would have to fall back and regroup; hopefully by that time Yuuki would have been able to have shifted enough power to their side to satisfy them.

They'd been watching the conspirators for the past few weeks with their summons just for this very purpose. They couldn't miss their chance or else Danzo would force Sarutobi's hand soon. They had only three weeks to stop the upcoming rebellion. Soon, Sarutobi should be giving Itachi the orders to strike. She had to step in before it even got that far. At worst the Uchiha would band together over something else, bringing the culprit to justice. Better a few than everyone.

"Our first target will have to be Uchiha Tekka. He's part of the Uchiha police force and one of the main contacts Madara has to the rest" said Kyuubi as he slid a picture onto the table.

Yuuki took a look at the picture. The man on it looked normal, like any other Uchiha; pale skin and dark hair. He looked to be in his mid thirties. There was no sign that he was one of the people planning for the next great Shinobi war. Sighing she memorized his facial features. Soon she'd be killing him. He was probably someone's father or brother. Gently she let the picture slip from her fingers and onto the table. It would most likely burn itself out in a few seconds.

"I need some sleep" she muttered, a sour taste in her mouth.

Kyuubi let her leave, watching as her small shoulders sagged with the weight of the Shinobi world riding on them. It made him clench his fists. It shouldn't have to be this way, not for his kit.

In her sleep Yuuki found comfort in her dreams. She dreamed of a happier time when Hinata had been there to light her every step.

* * *

**Flashback**

_Naruto growled, flinging the foul piece of paper from his face. He couldn't believe all the dull things Tsunade was forcing him to read. Did a Hokage really have to know about everything that was going on in the village, down to the very last notice of a missing cow! Surely the farmer would have better luck finding it himself. He remembered his genin days; the horrible missions of finding Tora and how inexperienced they'd been. The stupid cat had always caught them by surprise, snapping at them with those deadly claws. They were probably the cause of the percentage of lost genins within their first year. The cat was possessed; Naruto could bet his entire heritage on that. _

"_Don't look so glum, this is all part of the job Naruto-kun"_

_He smiled, lifting his hand to touch the ones over his eyes. He loved those hands, so delicate, soft and scarred. They were the hands of his wife, the woman he loved more than air. "Hinata" he drawled, her name sliding off his lips so easily._

_He felt her hands get warmer; no doubt she was blushing again. Her blushes were always so cute, starting from her cheeks and spreading throughout her body. It surprised him how dense he'd been as a genin. How couldn't he have seen it then? With a playful yank, he pulled her into his lap. _

"_Eep!" she let out one of those her adorable noises she makes when she's startled. Gently he ran his hands through her dark locks of hair, smiling down at her and those rosy cheeks. _

"_It's nice to see you too dear" he said in a deeper voice, the one that she always accused him of using when he was in the mood. The one she called 'dreamy'. _

_As expected she blushed and protested. "Oh no you don't! We're doing that in the Hokage's office. None of that 'dear' stuff!"_

_He chuckled, loving her reaction all the more. "I know love, I know. No funny business in the esteemed Hokage's office. So how was your day?"_

_She smiled, so happy he'd asked. "I went to see Tsuande today."_

_He grinned, "And what would you have been doing with Obaachan? Did you guys talk about me the whole time? I know you must have been talking about how great a husband I am!"_

_She laughed and gave him a playful smack to the arm. "No, dear sir we were not talking about you the whole time. Actually there was someone else on our minds today."_

_He gave her a playful growl, one of the traits from merging with Kyuubi. "And that would be?"_

_She blushed even deeper, leaned closer and whispered the news in his ear. He froze momentarily, almost scaring her by how stiff he'd become. She'd even almost reconsidered telling him when he pulled her closer and showered her with kisses. When they broke apart for air, he had a broad grin on his face, almost breaking his face. "I'm going to be a Father!"_

_She nodded, too emotional for words, just so happy at how happy she'd made him. Recklessly he stood and began to twirl her around, screaming the news loud enough for his guards and everyone else to know. Hinata began giggling, his behavior too much for her to ignore. Their joy overcame them, letting them become blissfully unaware of everything else, ignorant of everything but their little bundle of joy. _

* * *

That day would forever remain one of Naruto's cherished moments.

* * *

For those who have stayed with this story for so long thanks. So how'd you like the chapter? This isn't all my reasons for Yuuki's new weakness but for now this is all I can say. Feel free to review, I always reply back.


	24. Chapter 24: The spectacle

Sorry for the long wait, been busy with life. For those who waited, I offer my thanks. And for those who are just getting to this point, I hope for your support.

* * *

**Chapter 24: The Spectacle**

Yuuki woke up in the morning to a pounding headache. Groggy and in a foul mood she made her way to the bathroom. She'd smack Kyuubi later for that stupid torture session the other night. Who'd seriously have copper weapons anyway! Most weapons these days were made from metals and silver. Annoyed, she brushed her teeth with a bit more aggressive strokes. Was it just her imagination or were her fangs protruding a bit more than usual? Nah, it was probably just her imagination running wild due to sleep deprivation. Either way since she woke up late; she'd have to hurry to school and skip breakfast, maybe get it to-go or something.

"Seras! You up?"

Her guardian walked in relaxed and dressed for the day. "Yes, Yuuki I'm up. What can I do for you?"

"Any chance you can help me with my hair today too?" she tried adding a smile for persuasion.

Seras chuckled, "silly girl, no need for that. I'll help, come seat here."

She patted the bed with her hand to indicate where Yuuki should seat. Taking her fair hair into her hands and working some magic. "How about a braid today, it might help you better at practice than to leave it flying around."

Yuuki nodded, that sounded like a great idea. "Any mail today?"

Seras chuckled, "I actually feel sorry for the mail boy, being forced to come all the way out here just to deliver our mail. I gave him an extras tip out of guilt. But no; not yet, I don't think they'll reply so soon Yuuki. The week hasn't ended yet. Give it another day or two."

Yuuki sighed but nodded her head in agreement. That Sarutobi was taking so much time to reply proved he was a very good Hokage. You don't just jump on things like this; you examine and watch with care.

"Try not to get stuck with anymore copper kunais little missy or Kyuubi will have your head."

Yuuki crossed her fingers over her heart, "But of course, cross my heart and hope to die right."

Seras chuckled, "I'm done, now off with you. Naruto and the others have been waiting for some time now."

"Wait, the others?" asked Yuuki, startled that the others would come all the way out here to pick her up. It would make it twice the walk for them.

Seras nodded, "Yup, they all came to pick you up and see how you were doing. Aren't they just wonderful friends?"

Yuuki nodded, not sure how she felt about becoming that close to the group. She couldn't jeopardize the future she knew or else all of this would be for not. Quickly heading out her room; she found Sasuke, Shikamaru, Naruto, Hinata, Chouji, and Kiba waiting for her. It made her smile despite her worries. Waving goodbye to Kyuubi, she rushed off with the others. They seemed to cheer up by seeing her awake and well.

"So you feeling better now?" asked Shikamaru.

She nodded, "Yeah, sorry to worry ya. So what happened after we left?"

"Iruka-sensei got us all to go back to class and made us all promise not to tell what happened to anyone else. I doubt some people will keep their mouth shut though" said Kiba.

Sasuke had the dignity to look a little bit guilty at that. Yuuki saw it and she knew what it meant. He'd told his parents and likely Itachi of what had happened. She should be worried; having her weakness known to her enemy and all, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to be. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about them giving her copper knives and spoons to use.

"So how were the test results?" she asked.

"Great!" said Naruto, he looked so excited. Digging into his book bag, he pulled out a sheet of paper. Yuuki took a closer look at it. It was his test paper, more importantly it had a red C+ circle at the top with words of encouragement from Iruka. She smiled at that. So she'd been right. At the moment Naruto wasn't a full clown yet, as long as he showed effort and hard work, he'd win Iruka over again. While Iruka took the death of his parents personal and carried a huge hatchet for Kyuubi, he'd bury it in a heartbeat at the sight of a spirited student. This had been her gamble from the start; it was rather nice to see her inner intuition on people's character hadn't turned to mush yet.

Getting to the school she could feel all the different sets of eyes on her. Her friends tried to shield her as best they could but they had their own desks to occupy. No, she'd just have to face this one by herself. Occasionally she'd see Sakura and Ino turn back to her and smirk, as though they'd won something big. She frowned; she'd have to be more careful with those two. While she never pegged them as people capable of doing intentional harm to anyone, she didn't want to chance finding copper items in her desk or something.

"Welcome back to another day of class, I'd like to take role and then we'll be discussing trapping techniques before going out for practical lessons later. Everyone will be using only the weapons and equipment given to you by a teacher. Anyone who disobeys will be brought before me to explain why they couldn't follow instructions, and I will punish them as I see fit. Are we clear?" said Iruka, glaring holes at the kids to make sure they got the point.

"Yes!"

"Good, now lets begin…"

Yuuki watched as the lesson got underway, trying hard to hide her waning focus. She didn't want to upset Iruka but at the same time, there were only so many times you could hear something described over and over again. She had three years of academy repeats to draw from after all. Instead she let her mind begin to wonder about her deal with Sarutobi. She wasn't so sure if she'd handled it exactly well enough. She may have come off too demanding, ringing alarm bells in his head. Or perhaps she'd caved in too much and given him access to more information than necessary. She wasn't sure and it kept her gnawing at her pencil.

Before she knew it the theory part of the lesson had gone by and the rest of the class was moving towards the field for practical lessons.

Naruto gave her a bit of a nudge to move her along but she didn't really feel up to it. Not that the copper incident was scaring her away, Kyuubi had certainly done more damage. No, she just didn't feel like this is what she should be doing at the moment. Not with two huge decisions resting on her shoulders at the moment. Sarutobi is yet to give her an answer and in a few nights she planned to kill a distant relative to two of her friends. Life sucked at the moment and it was sucking away her energy to even try.

Today they'd start sparring, picking three other students that they'd work with for the rest of the school year. Had she been a wiser student back when she'd been a genin the first time she'd have noticed the pattern earlier on. Everything happened in a unit of threes. Without much thought or effort Hinata and Sasuke grabbed onto her arm. She paused, too shocked for words. She expected Naruto to be one of the first to grab her, maybe Sasuke next but she'd never pictured Hinata with enough courage at the moment to pick her in earnest. It made her smile, already Hinata was learning to express her demands. The odd group wasn't what she'd expected nor planned but she didn't mind, it would work in the end.

"Yuuki-chan would you be one of my partners?" asked Hinata a slight stutter to her words. She looked a bit embarrassed at her own forwardness.

Yuuki smiled, "Nope, I don't mind one bit"

"Well that sucks, I was hoping to work with Yuuki-chan too but it's cool. We'll just be a group of all guys, right Shikamaru?" said Naurto, raising a brow to the silent genius.

The said boy barely bothered to nod. Chouji continued to chew down on his chips. Kiba looked between the groups highly uncomfortable as he began to realize he was the odd man out. He felt the hairs on his back stand as two other presences appeared behind him. Slowly turning, he made eye contact with an annoyed blonde and a pouting Sakura.

"Hello Ino…Sakura…" he wanted to die, a very slow, slow, painful death. He looked to the others for an escape but they'd already moved on to warm-up stretches and Shino was with another group. He was left alone, a dog in the den of lions. He gulped, let the havoc begin.

Within Yuuki's group they were already done with warm ups, pulling her arms into herself she couldn't help but feel sorry for Kiba. Someday he'd forgive them, but for today he'd have to make due. Concentrating on her situation she listened to Iruka's instructions carefully.

"Today before we proceed to trapping, we'll begin with light spars between the members of each group. Think of it as a mini tournament; begin with two partners while the other watches, then have the winner spar with the remaining member. From there we'll have the final winner fight with the winners of other groups till we have one winner left. I hope this lesson will give you all a feel of how your fellow classmates move and gear you up for the future on what to expect. Now remember, this is not to maim, harm or degrade anyone. Should I find someone being excessively brutal I'll call this whole session off and deal with the culprit directly. Am I clear?"

"Yes!"

"I guess it's me and you Hinata" said Yuuki, cutting in before Sasuke could jump in. While she'd like to take a whack at Sasuke, she didn't want to discourage Hinata from the start. Over the past four months her confidence was on the rise, she didn't want to damage that now. Surprisingly Sasuke didn't even look offended; apparently she didn't give him enough credit on matters of sensitivity. Doing one last stretch with her legs, she got into the basic academy stance. It felt so damn nostalgic.

"Come on Hinata-chan, give it your best. I want us to both enjoy this ok" she encouraged.

This seemed to set the mood of their duel. Hinata looked less anxious; she likely thought this meant it would strictly be a friendly match. And it would for the most part, but Yuuki would do her best to draw out the inner workings of Hinata's true nature to light.

Waiting patiently for Iruka to give the signal, the sparring began. As expected Hinata didn't come at her at full force the first time, her palm strike to Yuuki's arm was gently. She seemed to be testing Yuuki's reaction speed. Not being one to disappoint, Yuuki easily stepped aside, aiming a chop to Hinata's clavicle. Surprising even herself; Hinata lightly grabbed hold of her hand, steering it away from herself with a twist of her entire body, forcing Yuuki forward. With no intentions of allowing her back to remain unguarded and exposed, the blonde instinctively kicked inward. Being the one able to see ahead of herself, Hinata had more than enough forewarning. She moved out of the way with a grace she didn't think she had.

Yuuki used the chance to turn around, grinning from ear to ear. The pleasantly pleased expression Hinata had on her face rewarding her efforts. This probably felt different for Hinata than her other fights within her Clan. There were no elders here to judge and as far as they were concerned they were the only ones that existed in the world right now, them and this friendly fight. Gearing herself for what's to come Yuuki got back into her stance, her fist clenched at her front to strike or defend given the need. When Hinata didn't look like she was about to move Yuuki allowed herself to take the most novice approach and charged towards her. Skilled and prepared for such occurrences, Hinata found that without the extra pressure it was easier to remember what her trainers drilled into her. Relaxing her small frame, she waited for the opportune moment and grabbed hold of Yuuki's hands, allowed her knees to cave and pushed forward.

Yuuki found herself joyfully stunned to watch as she was tossed to the other side of their little arena. At the last minute she tucked in and rolled, minimizing damage. She stood with a huff, not evening needing to fake her sudden need for air. That had been an excellent throw. Smiling she called to Hinata, "That was great! Let's keep going"

"O-Ok!" yelled Hinata, surprised by how exhilarating this felt even though it was the very thing she dreaded most days. Getting back in pace she planted her feet like most Hyugas would. Yuuki noticed and frowned, knowing Hinata's true style would need more fluidity than that. She charged again but this time with a different purpose. Hinata braced herself thinking there would be a repeat soon but gasped when Yuuki slowed right before her and crouched. She kicked out, aiming for Hinata's shins. Instinctively Hinata hopped aside, losing her solid footing but not minding as Yuuki's next attack came.

With full knowledge of how superior Hyugas were with their upper body strength, Yuuki feigned the mistake of jabbing Hinata in the face. Of course her attempt was caught and used against her as Hinata fluidly twisted her right arm, pulling her into a submissive pose for a second and then tossed her over. Yuuki allowed herself to hit the ground and groaned. She was beginning to rethink this deskilling business. Growling she hopped up to her fight. "Again!" she called.

"Enough!" yelled Iruka, startling the two from their spar and momentarily bringing them back to reality. Apparently all the other groups had finished and everyone had found this fight to be too intense to disrupt. Hinata and Yuuki gaped. Sasuke look unrepentant about not alerting them of having passed the time limit. Hinata blushed, a nice bit of sweat gathering on her brow but she found herself more at ease. Yuuki sighed and looked around, hopefully she hadn't given them too much of a good show. They'd mostly seen her get thrown around like a rag doll by Hinata. Walking over to the resting bench, she took a drink of water from her little bottle. Tossing a towel over her head to keep the stares at bay for the moment, she heard unexpected voices.

"Sorry to disrupt your class Iruka, we just wanted to speak with miss Yuuki. But we're grateful for the incredible match we just got to witness" said Sarutobi.

Underneath her towel's shade Yuuki bit the inside of her cheek. Of course she could pick out the smug tone in the Hokage's voice. This was without a doubt no coincidence, he'd picked this day because he'd known they'd be sparring. He'd wanted to see her in a mock fight and that's exactly what she'd unknowingly given him. Not enough juicy material to incriminate herself but enough to let him know she wasn't as defenseless as she tried to play. "Father!"

Finally she got the courage to look up when she heard both Sasuke and Hinata call for their fathers. Sure enough, it seems like the Hokage was not the only one who'd gotten a free show. Hiashi and Fugato stood beside him, the former looking pleased to finally see Hinata show her merits.

Hinata looked startled, shamed and embarrassed at the same time. She didn't know what to do or expect so Yuuki saved her the trouble.

"You wished to see me" she said, coming out of her shell. Everyone seemed to watch; biting on their tongue till the group walked out of the courtyard to start waging them. If the situation wasn't so nerve wrecking she'd laugh at how the silence gave way the moment they were five yards from the arena. Konoha was full of gossips.

"That was quite a display Yuuki" said Fugato, his undertone quite clear.

She tried her best to act nonchalant. "After I got stuck with a kunai during the last session, Katsu thought it was best to up the difficulty level of my training. He doesn't want to see me hurt again."

"I'm sure he doesn't" said Fugato, though he didn't seem to believe that was all to be said about the matter.

Sarutobi stepped in, feeling it was unnecessary to get the girl edgy. "We've come in regards to your proposal. We've agreed as long as you provide us with the documents and mock fights within this week. We will allow you to attend the next Council meeting."

Yuuki stopped and whirled around. "This week! The mock fights are this weekend?" she asked, honestly shocked but not unprepared.

Hiashi nodded, "Yes, the other Clan heads and I would like to see Katsu and Seras' skills before we give our full approval. There are some standards that need to be upheld in the matter of strength if you understand what I mean."

Yuuki nodded, she did. "Okay I'll tell them and I'll have the documents at your office later today if you'd like Sarutobi-sama."

The third waved off her formality. "Ojisan is fine. I'd also like to think of you as a granddaughter Yuuki-chan."

She blushed a bit at that, and fidgeted with her hair. "I should be heading back soon. The others might begin to wonder if I'm being suspended or something" she half-joked.

The adults had little smiles of their own, knowing the sudden open familiarity was probably too much for her now. "Okay dear, I'll expect you in my office later today then."

"Right!" she grinned before high-tailing it back to her classmates. The adults chuckled at her escape. It was so nice to finally win a round against the little girl.

"Upped her training hm, certainly promising for Naruto-kun if her skills are a reflection of Katsu's work" said Fugato, briefly wondering if he could get Sasuke involved as well.

"Indeed, I never knew my daughter could move like that. She seemed so relaxed and at peace with herself" mused Hiashi, finding this too incredible to keep to himself for once. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing to have gotten Hinata involved with Yuuki as he'd feared. Allegiances aside, Yuuki Hellsing seemed to be a good influence to his daughters.

"It looked like your daughter was winning Hiashi…however why do I get the feeling they could have been even" whispered Sarutobi as they continued to walk out of the Academy.

* * *

NHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHSCENE SKIPNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNH

Yuuki returned back to the group, feeling out of sorts and raw. She was quickly surrounded by her friends. The look in their eyes were the same; curiosity, intrigue and imploring. She sighed; this would take the last bit of strength out of her that's for sure.

"That was epic Yuuki-chan!" cried Naruto; she could already see the stars forming in his eyes. "You were like ka-yaa! And Hinata was like hu-uh. You should have told me you could fight like that!" he gushed.

She chuckled, "words Naruto, use your words not sound effects."

This got the group to calm down a bit and laugh for a second or two. Hinata came forward and stretched out her hand, a smile on her face. "Thank you so much Yuuki, I never thought I could do so well" she whispered.

Gently shaking the hand extended to her, Yuuki shook her head. "No, I should be thanking you. You're really strong Hinata, thanks for giving me a far fight."

The shy girl nodded, not used to so many compliments in a day. She'd been hounded by her friends and classmates during the earlier pause too. Many saying they'd never seen her quite like that before.

"Wish I could learn some of those moves" mumbled Naruto, his mind already trying to replay the match in his head.

Yuuki chuckled, "Don't worry soon you might be able to."

She let her words hang as the class was called back to the classroom for last minute homework. They'd already used too much time and would have to go over trapping next week. At the thought of homework the excitement seemed to settle for a bit. Walking home the group began their conversation anew.

"So how did your fights go?" asked Yuuki, admittedly she hadn't been as observant as she should have. She'd wanted to gauge how far along everyone was in their growth. But she couldn't help it; anything that deals with Hinata always got her full attention.

"Not much to say really. Kiba won the match against Ino and Sakura hands down. Ino had been too slow to perform whatever jutsu she'd been trying to get Kiba with. And Sakura had been distracted by Sasuke's handsome face!" teased Naruto, dodging the dull punch aimed his way.

"I sort of lost to chouji though. Did not know he could spin so fast, definitely wasn't expecting that but mark my words. Next time Chouji it will be my victory!" boasted Naruto, his usually good sportsman spirit shining through. The big boy just shrugged and ate another chip.

"And Shikamaru?" asked Yuuki, really wanting to see how well the smarty pants did.

"You mean mister pineapple here, he was too busy sleeping. Iruka-sensei had to scare him awake but by then everyone had stopped to watch your match" narrated Naruto.

Shikamaru didn't even bat an eyelash to the accusations.

"And of course Sasuke never got a chance, did ya teme!" teased Naruto, running around to avoid capture from the said Uchiha.

"Oh that's right, sorry Sasuke-kun, didn't mean to cut into your debut like that" teased Yuuki, grinning at the lost look he gave the two. At this point he didn't know who to throttle.

"Well I got to get home, Aki's waiting for me!" called Naruto, already heading to his apartment.

"Oh right! Tell him hello for me!" called Yuuki.

"Who's Aki?" asked Shikamaru.

"Naruto's new pet fox" said a grinning Yuuki, walking past her startled friends. Soon the group dissolved, each going to their respective houses except Sasuke. He stayed silent till after Hinata was taken home by one of her attendants. Yuuki looked to him in wonder, could he want to go to the cabin with her. They hadn't been expecting any guests today.

"Good evening Yuuki" said a familiar voice from behind. She stopped walking, just stopped as her heart began to race. Slowly she turned to see Itachi standing beside his equally startled brother with Shisui.

"Hey ya Yuuki-chan, heard about your big match. You're really something aren't ya" chirped Shisui, faking an accent.

She couldn't help but chuckle, "Hello to you too. What are you guys doing here?"

Those dark eyes found hers again and she couldn't bring herself to look away. "We were hoping you'd like to have dinner with us at our house."

She gasped, he'd used 'we' and 'our' but why did she feel like she'd heard 'I' and 'my'. Shaking out her daze she smiled, "I don't mind but I'll have to get changed though. I don't exactly look presentable with dirt smears all over me."

Stepping forward, Itachi leaned closer to her ear. "I don't mind, I don't think I ever will."

She shivers, like a jolt had traveled down her spine and back just to get stuck at her heart. How did he always get such a rise from her body, it shouldn't be possible. Was it the bloodlust thing again?

"Thank you" she said shying away from his eyes, not sure if she could face him right now without giving herself away. "I'll be going then…" she mumbled, stumbling a bit as she moved back. Strong hands steadied her and her breath caught in her throat. Taking those strong, larger hands into her own, she slowly lead them away from her person. "Thanks…again."

With this she made sure to disappear, running as fast as her legs would take her past the village gates.

"Smooth Ita-chan, real smooth" said a smirking Shisui. He chuckled as he ducked past a flying kunai, laughing all the way back to the Uchiha manor with two very silent Uchiha brothers in tow.

"Yuuki then?" asked Sasuke, recognizing his brother's interest for what it is.

"It appears so little brother"

"You have my vote then"

"Thanks".


End file.
